Best Baillie Gifford Podcasts (2024)

1
#190: Toby Mundy, literary agent and executive director of the Baillie Gifford Prize 1:00:13

4d ago1:00:13

1:00:13

In this episode Simon and Rachel speak with Toby Mundy, the CEO of the UK office of the international literary agency Aevitas Creative Management, and executive director of the Baillie Gifford Prize for non-fiction. Toby has worked in the publishing industry for more than three decades. After starting his career at HarperCollins he founded Atlantic…

1
The efficiency effect: how four companies shaped up for a new era 34:30

9d ago34:30

34:30

Sometimes, you have to take a step back to leap forward. Over the past couple of years, Meta, Amazon, Block and Shopify are among the growth companies to have made efficiency cuts following the pandemic. Gary Robinson, an investor in Baillie Gifford’s US Equity Team, says that’s made them more agile and resilient – qualities that will let them take…

1
Read Smart: We Need To Talk About... 40:11

19d ago40:11

40:11

Tune in to the next episode of the Read Smart Podcast, where 2022 Baillie Gifford Prize judge, Georgina Godwin, speaks to 2023 winner John Vaillant, social geographer Danny Dorling and writer and award-winning journalist Jennifer Nadel about the crucial topics which are often overlooked by mainstream media. Which topic do you think is neglected mos…

1
#189: Naomi Klein, non-fiction author 57:17

19d ago57:17

57:17

Rachel and Simon speak with the non-fiction author Naomi Klein. Her debut book, "No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies", sold more than 1m copies after its publication in 1999; her follow-up, "The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism" (2007), also reached the top of the New York Times bestseller charts. She has written extensively abo…

1
Ep. 40: EY's Carmine Di Sibio on Building a Better Working World 39:01

19d ago39:01

39:01

In this episode Going Long, Sarah Williamson sits down with Carmine Di Sibio, Global Chairman and CEO of EY. They delve into the importance of long-term strategy in today's fast-paced business environment, discussing EY's Vision 2020 and Next Wave strategies, which emphasize growth, innovation, and long-term value creation. Di Sibio shares insights…

1
#188: Hugo Rifkind, journalist and novelist 1:00:41

1M ago1:00:41

1:00:41

Simon and Rachel speak with Hugo Rifkind, a journalist who has just published his second novel, "Rabbits". Born and raised in Edinburgh, Hugo studied philosophy at university. He has formerly been a columnist for the Spectator, GQ and the Herald, and is now a columnist, critic and leader writer for the Times and a presenter on Times Radio, as well …

1
#187: Pari Thomson, editorial director for picture books, Bloomsbury, and children’s author 1:02:55

2M ago1:02:55

1:02:55

Rachel and Simon speak with Pari Thomson, editorial director for picture books at Bloomsbury and also a children's author. After an international childhood, Paris studied English at university; she began her career with stints at a literary agency, as a bookseller at Waterstones and as a manuscript reader. She joined Bloomsbury in 2016 and now comm…

1
#186: Hisham Matar, novelist and non-fiction writer 51:51

2M ago51:51

51:51

Simon and Rachel speak with the novelist and non-fiction writer Hisham Matar. Born in New York to Libyan parents, Hisham spent his childhood in Tripoli and Cairo and has lived most of his life in London. He is the author of the novels "In the Country of Men", which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, and "Anatomy of a Disappearance", as well …

1
Read Smart: Understanding China 38:20

2M ago38:20

38:20

Join us for the latest episode of The Read Smart podcast, where host Razia Iqbal speaks to Isabel Hilton, 2024 Chair of Judges and founder of China Dialogue and Tania Branigan, The Guardian’s foreign leader writer. Together, Razia and our guests discuss the complex cultural legacy of China, alongside the opportunities and challenges the country has…

1
#185: Bettany Hughes, historian 57:04

3M ago57:04

57:04

Rachel and Simon speak with the historian Bettany Hughes. A specialist in ancient and medieval history, Bettany is the author of five books: “Helen of Troy: Goddess, Princess, Whore”, “The Hemlock Cup, Socrates, Athens and the Search for the Good Life”, “Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities”, “Venus & Aphrodite” and “The Seven Wonders of the Ancient Wo…

1
Read Smart: Gardens Past and Present 38:41

3M ago38:41

38:41

Join us for the next episode of The Read Smart podcast, where host Razia Iqbal joins writer, historian and former Baillie Gifford Prize judge, Ruth Scurr and Allan Jenkins, editor of Observer Food Monthly to discuss the cultural, historical and personal significance of gardens within the non-fiction landscape. Our guests explore how the action of g…

1
#184: Paul Theroux, novelist and travel writer 1:01:16

3M ago1:01:16

1:01:16

Rachel and Simon speak with the novelist and travel writer Paul Theroux. Born in Massachusetts, as a young man he worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi and taught at universities in Uganda and Singapore. He published his first novel, "Waldo", in 1967, and since then has written numerous works of fiction and non-fiction, including "The Great R…

1
Why emerging markets have changed 28:14

3M ago28:14

28:14

Emerging markets have sometimes promised more than they have delivered, but circumstances may be tipping in growth investors’ favour. Will Sutcliffe, head of our Emerging Markets Team, explains why it’s an opportune time to invest in the asset class. Background: Will Sutcliffe is the head of Baillie Gifford’s Emerging Markets Team and co-manager of…

1
#183: Madhumita Murgia, journalist and author 59:42

4M ago59:42

59:42

Simon and Rachel speak with the journalist and author Madhumita Murgia. She is currently the Financial Times' first Artificial Intelligence Editor, where she covers developments in AI globally and broader issues including surveillance, data privacy and tech regulation. Before she joined the FT, she was head of technology at the Daily Telegraph, and…

1
#182: Nicholas Shakespeare, novelist and biographer 1:01:07

4M ago1:01:07

1:01:07

Simon and Rachel speak with the novelist and biographer Nicholas Shakespeare. He began his career as a journalist, working for the Times and the Telegraph, before turning to book-writing in the 1980s. His debut novel, "The Vision of Elena Silves" (1989), won the Somerset Maugham Award; "The Dancer Upstairs" was named the best novel of 1995 by the A…

1
#181: Juliet Mabey, co-founder and publisher, Oneworld Publications 58:26

4M ago58:26

58:26

Rachel and Simon speak to Juliet Mabey, co-founder and publisher of Oneworld Publications. She established the company in 1986 with her husband, Novin Doostdar, as an independent publishing house focusing on non-fiction. Its books have covered a broad range of subjects, including biography, history, politics and science, and have won prizes includi…

1
#180: Jo Nesbø, novelist 53:36

5M ago53:36

53:36

Simon and Rachel speak with Jo Nesbø, one of the world's bestselling crime writers. Jo's writing career began when he was commissioned to produce a memoir about life on the road with his band, Di Derre, and he instead came up with the plot for his first Harry Hole crime novel, "The Bat". His books - including "The Leopard", "Phantom", "Police", "Th…

1
Read Smart: Insight into a Year of Elections 35:15

5M ago35:15

35:15

Tune into the first Read Smart episode of 2024 - and what a year it's set to be. With more than two billion voters in 50 countries heading to the polls, 2024 is set to be the biggest election year in history. Join host Razia Iqbal, as she delves into the topic with author and journalist, Samanth Subramanian and Associate Editor of The Financial Tim…

1
Ep. 39: Andrew Liveris on Managing Through Disruption 39:19

5M ago39:19

39:19

Former Dow chairman and CEO Andrew Liveris shares insights on leading companies in an era of disruption and geopolitical uncertainty. He discusses instilling a solutions mindset in the next generation to drive change in business, society, and government, and how activists and short-term "renters" of stock can impact long-term strategic thinking. To…

1
The weight-loss drug with huge growth potential 27:19

5M ago27:19

27:19

A new medicine that can help patients lose 15 per cent of their body weight could have far-reaching consequences for healthcare. Wegovy mimics a hormone the gut releases, reducing appetite and slowing digestion to delay hunger’s return. Research is also underway into other potential health benefits. In this podcast, Baillie Gifford investment manag…

1
#179: Jhumpa Lahiri, novelist and short-story writer 57:24

5M ago57:24

57:24

Rachel and Simon speak with the novelist and short-story writer Jhumpa Lahiri. Her bestselling debut story collection, “Interpreter of Maladies”, won the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction in 2000 and was translated into more than 30 languages. Her debut novel, “The Namesake”, was published to acclaim in 2003 and adapted into a film in 2006; “The Lowland” (…

1
#178: Adam Thirlwell, novelist 54:06

6M ago54:06

54:06

Simon and Rachel and Simon speak with the novelist Adam Thirlwell. The author of four novels - the first of which, "Politics", was published in 2003 when he was 24, and the latest of which is "The Future Future" - Adam's work has been translated into 30 languages. His essays appear in the New York Review of Books and the London Review of Books, and…

1
The 3 characteristics of great growth companies 28:34

6M ago28:34

28:34

What distinguishes companies that will thrive from those that will perish? In this episode, we explore three traits that mark out the companies set to surge ahead from those more likely to struggle: 1. They solve real-world problems 2. They are financially strong and disciplined 3. They are highly adaptable Baillie Gifford partner Tim Garratt discu…

1
#177: Philippa Gregory, novelist and historian 57:32

6M ago57:32

57:32

Rachel and Simon speak with the novelist and historian Philippa Gregory. She began her career in journalism and worked at BBC Radio before publishing her first historical novel, "Wideacre", in 1987 while she was completing a PhD in 18th-century literature. Other bestselling novels followed, including "The Other Boleyn Girl" - which was adapted into…

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Ep. 38: IFM's David Neal on Harnessing the Potential of Pension Capital 42:04

7M ago42:04

42:04

Sarah Williamson and David Neal discuss the history and evolution of IFM Investors, the importance of stakeholder engagement for infrastructure investments, adopting a "profit-to-member" philosophy, and more. Overview of the Australian superannuation pension system and how it is structured to give individual choice (5:46) How the "profit to member"…

1
#176: Henry Jeffreys, drinks writer 54:45

7M ago54:45

54:45

Simon and Rachel speak to the drinks writer Henry Jeffreys, who won Fortnum & Mason Drink Writer of the Year for 2022/23. Henry is the author of four books on alcohol: "Empire of Booze", a history of Britain and its empire told through the origin stories of various drinks; "The Home Bar"; "The Cocktail Dictionary"; and, most recently, "Vines in a C…

1
The Amazon way: mixing ones and zeros with nuts and bolts 26:51

7M ago26:51

26:51

Show notes Amazon and DoorDash take different approaches to bridging the physical and digital worlds. Amazon has built an extensive infrastructure of warehouses, logistics networks and data centres to directly control its operations. DoorDash instead relies on partnerships with restaurants and stores for deliveries, limiting its capital investment.…

1
#175: Kassia St. Clair, journalist and author 1:04:57

7M ago1:04:57

1:04:57

Rachel and Simon speak to the journalist, author and former co-host of Always Take Notes, Kassia St. Clair. She has written for Architectural Digest, The Economist, the Times Literary Supplement and Wired, and had a column in Elle Decoration for many years. Her first book, “The Secret Lives of Colour”, recounted the “unusual stories of the 75 most …

1
Chatting long train trips, climate change and rethinking risk with Aegon’s Tim Orton 28:20

7M ago28:20

28:20

This week’s guest is Tim Orton, CIO at Aegon. We enjoyed chatting about how making the world better for his grandchildren feeds into Tim’s passion for combatting climate change. 2022 caused him to think differently about diversification, risk and members’ journeys. Plus, Tim tells us why Aegon signed the Mansion House Compact. Enjoy the episode!…

1
Beyond China: south-east Asia’s next export stars 26:45

8M ago26:45

26:45

China became known as the world’s factory thanks to it offering companies a way to manufacture all kinds of goods at a high quality and relatively low cost. But in recent years, south-east Asian nations, including Vietnam and Indonesia, have begun challenging it for that status. Baillie Gifford investment manager Ben Durrant recently returned from …

1
Naomi Clark on USS’ private markets journey 40:32

8M ago40:32

40:32

This week, Lorna and Louise really enjoyed talking to Naomi Clark, head of investment product management at USS. We find out about Naomi's long and winding road into pensions - from an English degree, via a start in shipping, to where she is today. Naomi tells us about a bumpy start to USS' private markets journey and shares the reason why USS hasn…

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#174: Adam Sisman, biographer 51:20

8M ago51:20

51:20

Simon and Rachel speak with the biographer Adam Sisman. After an initial career in publishing, Adam's first book, a biography of historian A.J.P. Taylor, appeared in 1994. His second, "Boswell's Presumptuous Task" (2000), won the US National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography, and he has subsequently written biographies of another historian, H…

1
The 2023 Winner 48:50

8M ago48:50

48:50

Tune into the final Read Smart episode of the year, where host Razia Iqbal will be speaking to the 2023 winner John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather, on how he feels following last Thursday’s announcement. Razia will also be joined by some students from the University of Birmingham, who have been following the Prize this term and share their though…

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