Meet our people: Alicia Cowley

Before I joined the Client Manager programme I had been a stay at home mum for several years. The time was right to head back to work, and when I started looking for opportunities, Baillie Gifford’s openness to recruiting from a variety of industries and experiences stood out. Throughout the application process I was impressed by the diversity of people in the Clients department, with backgrounds ranging from the armed forces to professional sport. I’ve found it makes an interesting work environment that’s full of stimulating conversation.

Prior to starting a family, I worked in financial services in London and Singapore, but I still found going back to work challenging both professionally and emotionally. Baillie Gifford provide lots of training to support the transition, and I was assigned a line manager from a similar background, who helped me adjust back to the professional environment. My role is to provide Baillie Gifford’s clients with the best possible service, and they must come first. However, the firm are very supportive of family life, and understand if one of my children is sick or I need to attend a school concert. It’s an ongoing journey as my family’s needs change and my career evolves.

Now in my fourth year with Baillie Gifford I’m part of a generalist team with responsibility for clients in Southeast Asia. I enjoy being part of a firm that is researching and investing in companies which are changing the world and shaping all our futures. Our investment teams never stand still and are constantly searching for the next insight or idea. It’s our role to communicate these developments to our clients, which makes Baillie Gifford an exciting and dynamic place to work.