A Day in the Life: Baillie Gifford; Investment Analyst

8:30 am: I usually arrive in the office at about half eight. Initially I check my e-mails as I get morning notes from analysts’ and brokers. I’ll also check the Bloomberg terminal and look for news on companies in South Africa, passing relevant news on to my colleagues.

10:30 am: We usually have a brief meeting to review the news. Every Friday the whole investment side of the firm gets together and discusses interesting stocks. Of a Monday we will always discuss interesting news and notable happenings.

10:50 am: Might meet with company analysts or brokers to discuss different industries and companies. These normally last around an hour.

12:00 pm: I take lunch anytime between now and two. I usually go now, and normally get a full hour unless I’m too busy. Edinburgh is a terrific city to lunch in, the history and architecture are wonderful.

1:00 pm: Work on any reports I’m preparing and research that needs to be done, sometimes consulting other analysts. This is an integral part of the job, and can often take me through to the close of play.

2:00 pm: Sometimes we have training meetings, which can last up to two hours, on a specific subject. These range from product updates to providing us with new information on valuing a company or another aspect of the business. 3:00 pm: Team meetings looking at investment risks and portfolio construction. This will certainly tide me through until 5.30 to 5.45 unless it’s peak CFA time, in which case I’ll stay for an hour or so to do some revision.

7:00 pm: I’m back home, showered and ready to go out with friends. One of the major benefits of not working in London is the hours, and the ability to walk home. I can get from the office to my front door in twenty minutes, no tubes required.