Ashley Chalmers

I’ve had a varied career here so far and have been involved in many different things across different departments and areas of the firm. At Baillie Gifford, they give you the freedom to move around and experience new roles and functions. I like to push things forward and enjoy change, and I am delighted to have been part of such a progressive firm for this long.

I started as a graduate trainee, and since completing the programme, I have progressed from developer, to technical lead and then delivery manager. I am now head of applications and project delivery (client-facing systems) and responsible for driving optimisation, automation and digitisation by delivering custom in-house built applications and the procurement of best in class third-party software. Over the years, I have had to juggle work with bringing up two small children, and the firm has been really supportive and flexible whilst still encouraging me to develop and progress in my career.

My role has a wide range of responsibilities and a unique vantage point across the business because I work on projects firm-wide. I am involved in creating the future digital strategy, turning that strategy into action and driving the action points forward. I am also a people manager for a large area, and seeing individuals progress and their confidence build through time never fails to make me happy.

As part of my role, I attend various technical and financial conferences. One notable conference was in Silicon Valley itself, where I met with and talked to start-up companies, exploring what’s new in the marketplace to see what might be the right fit for Baillie Gifford. You don’t have to be here for ten years to get more involved in the strategy and development of the department. There are opportunities for everyone, including our graduate trainees, to contribute to focus groups on things like our web standards or our future technology estate.