Baillie Gifford invites you to join Disruption Week 2024, our live webinar series exploring forces driving the growth of some of the world’s most exciting companies.
Over the course of four days in November, our 45-minute events will explore the theme ‘new horizons of growth’, specifically focusing on:
- The renewal of North America’s infrastructure
- The increasing appeal of private companies
- Investment priorities for an ageing society
- Why emerging markets have changed
Our investment managers will discuss exceptional companies on their radar and tell you why they expect them to enjoy long-term competitive advantages. You will also have an open opportunity to put your questions to the speakers at the four webinars. For your convenience, we will hold each session twice, at 8.15am and 5.00pm GMT.
Our sessions
An infrastructure renaissance
Monday 18 November at 8.15am/5.00pm GMTDid you know that a quarter of all bridges in the US now have structural problems? Or that US citizens endure worse online connection speeds than peers in countries with a fraction of the wealth? Michael Taylor, investment manager, will give you his take on how the US government is addressing these challenges after decades of underinvestment. And you’ll hear about exciting investment opportunities in road, rail and other infrastructure vital to the functioning of the world’s largest economy.
Far and wide: private company investing
Tuesday 19 November at 8.15am/5.00pm GMTWhat if tomorrow’s most important companies never go public? If that were the case, where in the world would they emerge from? And how could we partner with them over the long term so that you benefit from multiple layers of growth? For the past 12 years, Baillie Gifford has been building its private markets expertise, finding answers to such questions. Alexander Nicolier, investment manager, will tell you why relationships with private companies matter and how our approach gives us an edge when backing firms at the forefront of a diverse range of industries, from entertainment to space travel.
The age wave: investment trends for an ageing society
Wednesday 20 November at 8.15am/5.00pm GMTAcross much of the world, populations are ageing. We’re living longer while birth rates are dropping dramatically. How do we invest to take advantage of the demand for a healthier, richer quality of life during these extra years? Abbie-Louise Gilbert, investment manager, will discuss this dynamic and some of the innovative companies responding to it. You’ll hear about opportunities in preventative health, personalised healthcare and wellness, women’s health and fertility, and the latest innovations in drugs and other medical technologies.
Misunderstood markets and emerging opportunities
Thursday 21 November at 8.15am/5.00pm GMTEmerging markets investing is radically different from 20 years ago. Then it was about finding dominant regional players, often local monopolies, that rose and fell with economic cycles. Ben Durrant, investment manager, will tell you how today it’s about discovering world-class, globally competitive companies capitalising on forces transforming society. These new stars range from Taiwanese and South Korean chipmakers to Asian ecommerce innovators and even a payments ‘super app’ from Kazakhstan. Ben also reveals why macroeconomics still matters when investing in these markets.