Meet our people: Kirsty Potter

Before joining the Client Manager programme, I worked in the charity sector for ten years. I had an open mind about my next career move and the programme at Baillie Gifford was a great opportunity to learn something new. Although my past role seems very different, relationship building is one of the most important skills needed to be a successful fundraiser. It’s about more than just delivering good customer service, you’re trying to anticipate your donors’ needs and gain their trust. This is also true when working with clients at Baillie Gifford.

As part of the application process you are required to write a short essay, and I really enjoyed the opportunity to think creatively. From there, the interviews are managed in a very personal way. Beforehand, I was sent a pack that told me exactly who would be interviewing me and information on their background. The focus was on getting to know us, having a conversation, and seeing how we interacted with other candidates.

The programme starts with an eight-week induction and all the new joiners are sat together in the office. This was a great way to build relationships and a close support network. The training has been comprehensive and included an inspiring meeting with Joint Senior Partner, Andrew Telfer. There were sessions to introduce us to the financial services industry, to the firm itself, and to several of Baillie Gifford’s different investment strategies. We also met with representatives from many of the internal teams we’ll be working with.

I had very little knowledge of what investment management entailed until I discovered Baillie Gifford. Initially I was worried that it might be too corporate, but here the exact opposite is true. Everyone comes from different backgrounds and areas of expertise, which makes it an interesting place to work. People are curious and read a lot around their work, so I’ve had some fantastic book and podcast recommendations! The firm doesn’t feel hierarchical, we’re all encouraged to learn and grow, and everyone is genuinely down-to-earth and approachable.