The Baillie Gifford Japan Trust

Matthew is an investment manager in the Japanese Equities Team. He is co-manager of the Japan All Cap Strategy, the Japanese Income Growth Strategy and manager of the Baillie Gifford Japan Trust. He joined Baillie Gifford in 2003 and became a partner of the firm in 2018. Matthew graduated BA (Hons) in Natural Sciences (Psychology) from the University of Cambridge in 2000 and holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Bristol.

David Kidd was appointed a Director in 2015 and became Chairman in June 2022. He has over 40 years investment experience in the City, in the roles of chief investment officer and independent professional trustee. He is chairman of Mid Wynd International Investment Trust PLC. He was previously a director of Shires Income PLC, Martin Currie International Portfolio Trust PLC, the Salvation Army International Trustee Company, and The Golden Charter Trust.

Joanna Pitman was appointed a Director in 2018 and appointed Senior Independent Director in June 2022. She is Chair of the Remuneration Committee. She read Japanese Studies at Cambridge University and speaks Japanese. She was Tokyo Bureau Chief of The Times from 1989 to 1994 and for the past eleven years she has worked as a corporate research analyst focused on Japan. She is vice chair of the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation and UK Chair of SAIDIA.

Sharon Brown was appointed a Director in 2019. She is Chair of the Audit Committee and a qualified accountant. She is currently a director and audit committee chair of Personal Assets Trust plc, European Opportunities Trust plc and Celtic plc. She was previously finance director of Dobbies Garden Centres plc and a director of McColl’s Retail Group plc, Fidelity Special Values plc, CT UK Capital and Income Investment Trust PLC and a number of unlisted companies in the retail sector.

Sam Davis was appointed a Director in 2021. He is Chair of the Management Engagement Committee. Sam studied Japanese at Oxford before joining Morgan Grenfell & Co. Ltd, working initially in corporate finance in both London and Tokyo. He moved to Morgan Grenfell Asset Management in 1996 to work with a Tokyo-based team. In 2000 he joined Putnam Investments first in Boston, MA and then in London where, over his 19-year tenure, he managed Asian, European and broad international equity portfolios. As Putnam's co-head of equities he oversaw a global investment team and was CEO of Putnam Investments Ltd, the group's UK regulated entity. Sam is a non-executive director of Allianz Technology Trust PLC and Schroder Oriental Income Fund Ltd.

Patricia Lewis was appointed a Director in 2023. She is a financial services executive with over 25 years of experience in investment and capital management across the U.S. and Europe. She previously served as Managing Director and Head of EMEA Loans and Special Situations Sales at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Patricia was also a director of Snowball Impact Management Ltd, prior to its acquisition by Tribe Impact Capital LLP, where she chaired the Audit and Risk Committee and continues as Deputy Chair of its Impact Investment Committee.