Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust

Douglas is head of the Discovery Team and has led the strategy since its inception. He is a member of the Discovery Portfolio Construction Groups and also a co-manager of the Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust. He joined Baillie Gifford in 2001 and became a partner in 2015. He graduated with a BSc in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from the University of Durham in 1997 and attained a DPhil in Molecular Immunology from the University of Oxford in 2001.

Svetlana is an investment manager in the Discovery Team. She is a member of the Discovery Portfolio Construction Groups and a co-manager of the Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust. She joined Baillie Gifford in 2012. She graduated with a BA in Economics and Business Administration from the American University in Bulgaria in 2008, an MSc in Investment Analysis in 2009 and a PhD in Accounting and Finance in 2012, both from the University of Stirling. She is a CFA Charterholder.

Luke is an investment manager in the Private Companies Team and a co-manager for the Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust which invests in both public and private companies. He joined Baillie Gifford in 2012 and, prior to joining the Private Companies Team full-time in 2024, was an investment manager in the Discovery Team. Luke graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2012 with an MEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering.

Jonathan Simpson-Dent is an experienced board director who has spent the majority of his career running entrepreneurial private equity and listed mid-cap international growth businesses.

Jonathan's extensive experience in privately financed ventures with a strong focus on valuation and expertise in risk management frameworks are valuable to the Board when assessing, monitoring and valuing the Company’s private company investments.

Jonathan has been instrumental in developing the comprehensive action plan to improve execution since taking on the Chair role on 5 March 2024. In addition, his board and chair experience has helped to ensure that the Trust has the highest corporate governance standards.

Jonathan currently chairs three private equity portfolio companies: Danx Carousel Group, Andwis Group and Easby Group. He previously worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, McKinsey & Company and PepsiCo. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. 

Mary Gunn has over 30 years of public and private governance experience in high growth life science, financial services, and education sectors, both in the UK and her native USA. Mary is also an Independent Director of Burst Diagnostics and sits on The University of Edinburgh’s Business Committee and International Standing Committee.

Mary possesses a deep pharmaceutical expertise and a wide industry network, with her insight assisting the Board in making informed decisions within the life sciences sector.

Mary’s professional experience includes C-level executive roles at various life science and clinical research companies, including previously at Emerald Clinical Trials, Pfizer, Crucell, ICON Plc, and Health Decisions, as well as acting in an advisory capacity for private equity transactions. 

Gregory is an experienced equity investor with a professional executive career in a mix of leadership and asset management roles. Having begun his investment career at Cigna International Investment Limited, he gained international experience at Draycott Partners, Alliance Capital and AllianceBernstein, managing and overseeing teams investing in emerging market and global portfolios and, until 2019, was the Global Head of Internal Equities at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. Gregory is a non-executive director of Murray International Trust PLC.

Jane McCracken was appointed Senior Independent Director on 5 March 2024. She has spent her career working with high growth technology businesses based in her native USA, along with the UK, as an entrepreneur, equity investor, board member and advisor, specialising in scaling up venture-backed and public technology companies. This includes her CFO role of London-listed in-vitro diagnostics firm Axis-Shield Plc. 

Jane possesses deep expertise and experience in the technology sector and has a wide network of industry contacts assisting the Board in making informed decisions in the technology sector.

Jane served as a member of the Research Faculty and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, USA, for eight years where she worked with a variety of deep tech startups as well as those in healthcare technology, fintech, software, and e-commerce.

Jane is currently serving as a Non-Executive Director of Radyus Research LLC and Tern Plc, and is the Chief Growth Officer for Corps Team LLC.

Caroline Roxburgh was appointed Chair of the Audit and Management Engagement Committee on 2 February 2022. She is a Chartered Accountant and was a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP until 2016. Caroline has extensive experience working with investment trusts and has spent seven years as Chair of the Audit Committee of Montanaro European Smaller Companies Trust Plc and four years as its Senior Independent Director.

Caroline's background as a senior board advisor, Assurance Partner, and Chartered Accountant brings valuable expertise in business, finance, governance, and risk management to the Board. This enables her to effectively assess the Company's viability, lead discussions on the risk management framework and risk appetite, contribute to the development of the Company's strategy and chair the Company’s Audit and Management Engagement Committee.

She is also Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit and Risk committee of Edinburgh International Festival Society, Vice Chair at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and until August 2024, was a Board Member and Chair of the Audit & Risk Commitee of VisitScotland, an appointment which she held for eight years. 

Mungo Wilson is Professor of Financial Economics at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and a former solicitor. Mungo is an expert on asset pricing, credit ratings and mutual funds which is invaluable when conducting rigorous investment analysis and investment performance evaluations of the Company.

Mungo has extensive experience working with investment companies and is Non-Executive Director of Neo Risk Reap Asia Equity Fund Limited, Embedded Insurance Inc., and Carbon Insurance Inc. He is also an Associate Member of the Oxford Man Institute of Quantitative Finance.