Jamila Osman

My favourite part has been meeting with the CEOs of the companies in which we invest or are considering investing. I believe it is an opportunity that would not have been possible in any other profession, sitting across the table from people who run some of the most influential and successful companies, and having the opportunity to ask them questions about the vision for their companies is something I will always cherish. Considering my background, I feel incredibly lucky to have been given such a wonderful opportunity. I'm also blown away by how humble and open the majority of senior investors are. There's something appealing about seeing someone who has been on the job for 10 to 30 years and is still eager to learn as well as willing to engage in a dialogue with trainees. Perhaps this is what also separates Baillie Gifford's employees from the rest.

Baillie Gifford is a company that genuinely cares about who you are as a person and what you can offer. My colleagues on the investment floor and across the firm are very friendly and nice, it's not your typical corporate environment. You'll also get lots of support to help you develop and grow into a good investor. I also enjoy the enriching conversations I have with my colleagues.

After university, I worked briefly as an IT analyst and became very frustrated with the job's narrow nature. I wanted a job that would allow me to broaden my horizons and contribute to the creation of a more sustainable future. I get easily bored with repetitive tasks, so when I saw the Investment Research programme, I jumped at the chance to apply because it provided exactly what I was looking for: the opportunity to learn about new ideas, apply creativity in analyzing stocks, imagine a future world, and learning to embrace uncertainties. I was also highly attracted to the active and long-term approach to investing. My impression was that it was a great place to work especially from people who had not worked for the company, so it was just a matter of finding a role that resonated with me, which I found in the investment equity research programme.