Baillie Gifford

An independent investment management partnership based in Edinburgh, with graduate and summer internship routes.

About Baillie Gifford

Baillie Gifford is an investment management firm based in Edinburgh. It describes itself as "a leading independent global investment management partnership". In simple terms, people, pension funds and charities hand it money, and its investors research companies around the world and choose which ones to put that money into, usually for the long term. It says the "proper aim of the investment business" is to direct capital towards goods and services that improve lives.

The firm began in 1908, when Colonel Augustus Baillie and T J Carlyle Gifford launched an investment trust during the rubber boom. The trust was renamed Scottish Mortgage in 1913 and the name still exists today. In 1927 the founders created Baillie Gifford & Co to manage the trusts separately from their legal practice. The firm backed Japan early, including the camera maker Canon, and opened its first US office in the 1990s. It remains an Edinburgh-based private partnership, described on its own site as the UK's only large-scale independent, unlimited-liability investment partnership, which means its partners own it rather than outside shareholders. It also has offices in Hong Kong and Shanghai and serves clients in 46 countries.

Its own story page stresses independence, long-term thinking, resilience, curiosity, innovation and putting clients' interests first. The careers page highlights continuous curiosity, owning your own development and long-term support for local communities. We did not find a short formal mission statement beyond these ideas.

Its best-known offerings are investment trusts such as Scottish Mortgage, plus funds for institutions and individuals. Rather than copying a market index, it builds concentrated collections of high-quality companies, often led by their founders, and tries to hold them for five to ten years. The head office in Edinburgh employs more than 1,500 people, according to the careers page.

Baillie Gifford calls its people its "biggest strength" and describes staff networks, training and wellbeing support (company claims). Early careers roles are all based at the Edinburgh head office. The Investment Research graduate programme (2027 intake, applications closing 3 November 2026) pays £58,000, starts in September 2027, welcomes degrees in any subject such as philosophy, maths or politics, and runs through three one-year rotations then a two-year placement, with the IMC and CFA investment exams supported. A 2:1 is expected, or a 2:2 plus a postgraduate qualification. Technology graduates are listed at £42,000, and technology internships at £26,000 a year pro rata with accommodation provided if you cannot commute, for penultimate-year technology students. Visa sponsorship is not offered for internships.

What they do

• {'desc': 'Managing money for clients across the world with a long-term approach.', 'title': 'Investment management'}
• {'desc': 'Listed trusts such as Scottish Mortgage, first launched in 1908.', 'title': 'Investment trusts'}
• {'desc': 'Edinburgh programme with rotations, mentoring and IMC/CFA exam support.', 'title': 'Investment Research graduate programme'}
• {'desc': 'Summer internships and graduate technology roles at the Edinburgh head office.', 'title': 'Technology internships and graduate roles'}

Key facts

• Founded 1908 by Colonel Augustus Baillie and T J Carlyle Gifford
• Baillie Gifford & Co formed in 1927; still an Edinburgh-based private partnership
• Head office in Edinburgh with 1,500+ employees (careers page)
• Investment Research graduate pay £58,000, closing 3 November 2026 for 2027 intake
• Technology internships £26,000 a year pro rata; technology graduates £42,000

Website: www.bailliegifford.com