“We’ve created all sorts of noise around what is a fairly straightforward activity of deploying real capital in the real world into projects that create wealth so investors can make money and people’s living standards can rise.”
Investment management can sometimes feel like a complex industry, but does it have to be? Stuart Dunbar, a partner at Baillie Gifford, defines the philosophy of “actual investing” – focusing on the fundamentals of deploying capital in the real world, and looking past that complexity to invest in projects that create value over time. Dunbar and host Sarah Williamson also discuss:
- The common traits of long-term-oriented organizations around the world (15:11),
- Navigating different ESG perspectives in global investing (31:16),
- The need to embrace uncertainty and be on the right side of disruptive trends (37:52), among other topics.
About Stuart Dunbar
Stuart is a Director in the Clients Department. He joined Baillie Gifford in 2003 and became a Partner in the firm in 2014. Stuart is Chair of the UK Business Group as well as coordinating global marketing and product development activity and sitting on various management groups including the firm’s Strategic Leadership Group and ESG Steering Group. His roles with Baillie Gifford have included institutional sales and consultant relationships and the creation of a dedicated financial institutions team. In recent years his focus has been on the development of the firm’s overall ‘Actual Investors’ philosophy and the integration and development of our ESG investment research activities and strategy offerings. Prior to joining Baillie Gifford, Stuart worked with Dresdner RCM in Hong Kong and Aberdeen Asset Management in the UK. He graduated BA in Finance and Business Law from the University of Strathclyde in 1993.
About Baillie Gifford
Baillie Gifford is a prominent investment management firm headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland. The company was founded in 1908 and has a long history of managing investment portfolios for a wide range of clients, including institutional investors, pension funds, and individual investors.
Baillie Gifford is known for its active and long-term approach to investing. They focus on identifying high-potential companies and investment opportunities, often with a growth-oriented perspective. The firm is known for its expertise in global equities and has a reputation for backing innovative and disruptive companies in various industries, including technology, healthcare, and more.