Meet our people: Rhona Geddes

I am currently in the second year of the client manager programme and it’s going really well. As I’ve only been in my present team for a short period, I’m still learning the ropes. But saying that, I feel fully supported by everyone in the team and beyond.

I have come to expect nothing less from Baillie Gifford and my colleagues. Everyone is so friendly, and they are always generous with their time and guidance.

I worked in client relationship support roles at the firm before being accepted into the client manager programme. I saw applying for the client manager programme as a great next step in my career development.

It gave me a bit of a head start in that I came in with a good understanding of some of the wider teams that we work with and the systems we use, but I knew that I would continue to be stretched, and that has been the case, in a good way.

Having always worked in client relationship roles here and elsewhere, I anticipated that I would want to focus on the relationship management side of the role. I didn’t expect to be a ‘numbers’ person, but I have surprised myself by being drawn to the more technical aspects of the role and learning about the details of our investment process and portfolios.

You don’t have to know what you want to do on day one of the programme. I’d advise you to just be open to the experience and see how it shapes you.

In addition to the formal training, there is a learning culture within the firm and lots of informal opportunities to learn and grow. From external speakers to events run by the staff networks, you are encouraged to challenge yourself and learn from others, their perspectives and experiences.