Meet our people: Fraser Thomson

My first role as a trainee was in the Global Alpha Team, and it was challenging and rewarding from day one. I clearly remember my first experience travelling with a colleague on a ferry, forging a path through the ice to visit Canadian clients.

It was amazing to have such an opportunity, to have that trust in my abilities so early in my career, and to do so in such a supportive environment that sets you up for success. That hasn’t changed over the decade and more that I’ve worked here, whether for those entering the client manager programme or those more established in their careers.

I continue to see that same blend of high-performance expectations and trust in your colleagues. That’s only possible because everyone is focused on working together to do their best for clients daily, making Baillie Gifford a very special workplace.

When I joined the programme, client contacts covered all aspects of client servicing. However, the client role has now been split into two aspects, with the client manager programme covering both. This means we can provide our clients with an even higher standard of care and investment knowledge.

One role is focused on gaining a deep understanding of our clients’ needs and ensuring we can meet those. The other role develops close working relationships with the investment teams, using their inside-out knowledge of the strategy and portfolio to serve the client.

The Client Manager Programme allows you to explore both aspects without knowing from the outset which of these you want to pursue and develop in your career.

I have returned to Global Alpha as an Investment Specialist, and it has been interesting to see just how much the client-servicing role has developed since my initial stint on the team.

I’m excited to see how we continue developing digital tools such as AI to augment our client service offering and enable us to focus on human connection and building relationships internally and externally.