Beste Baillie Gifford Podcasts (2024)

1
Private companies: backing tenacious trailblazers 28:20

4d ago28:20

28:20

Many of the world’s most exciting, high-growth and disruptive companies are private. Moreover, the entrepreneurs running them are typically keeping them private for longer before trading their shares on public stock exchanges – and in some cases have no plans to do so. Baillie Gifford’s Private Companies Team seeks out exciting businesses and found…

1
Read Smart: The 2024 Winner 31:41

14d ago31:41

31:41

Tune into the final Read Smart podcast of the year, where Georgina Godwin speaks to the Baillie Gifford Prize 2024 winner, Richard Flanagan. Hear more from Richard about his origins as an author, alongside how the events from both history and his personal life inspired the ‘chain reactions’ explored throughout Question 7. Listen now to hear all abo…

1
Read Smart: Viet Thanh Nguyen 15:23

28d ago15:23

15:23

Tune into our final 'In Conversation' podcast, where we chat to Việt Thanh Nguyễn, who has been shortlisted for his book, A Man of Two Faces, which masterfully intertwines personal and historical narratives with humour and lyricism. Nguyễn's work reflects on memory, the duality of identity, and the American experience.Listen now to hear all about i…

1
Read Smart: David Van Reybrouck 23:47

29d ago23:47

23:47

Join us for the next episode of The Read Smart podcast, as we welcome David Van Reybrouck, acclaimed author of Revolusi: Indonesia and the Birth of the Modern World. Revolusi, a bestseller in the Netherlands and now shortlisted for The Baillie Gifford Prize, offers a gripping narrative of Indonesia's fight for independence and its impact on global …

1
Read Smart: Richard Flanagan 20:42

1M ago20:42

20:42

Tune into our next 'In Conversation' podcast, where we chat to Richard Flanagan, who has been shortlisted for his brilliant book, Question 7. From the affair between H.G. Wells and Rebecca West to developments in 1930s nuclear physics, Flanagan has crafted a poignant love song to his island home, his parents, and the haunting echoes of the past in …

1
Read Smart: Annie Jacobsen 15:17

1M ago15:17

15:17

Tune into our next 'In Conversation' podcast, where we chat to Annie Jacobsen, who has been shortlisted for the prize this year with Nuclear War: A Scenario. Jacobsen’s book explores the chilling minute-by-minute protocols that would unfold if a rogue state launched a nuclear missile at the United States and is a gripping exploration of nuclear con…

1
Read Smart: Rachel Clarke 17:32

1M ago17:32

17:32

Tune into our next 'In Conversation' podcast, where we chat to Dr Rachel Clarke about her shortlisted book, The Story of a Heart, which intertwines the poignant tales of two children connected by a heart transplant. Hear Dr Clarke discuss the dedication of healthcare professionals and incredible medical advancements that make miracles like these po…

1
Read Smart: Sue Prideaux 12:54

1M ago12:54

12:54

Tune in to the first of our 'In Conversation' podcast episodes, where we speak to all six of this year's shortlisted authors about their extraordinary works of non-fiction. First up, Georgina Godwin speaks to Sue Prideaux, author of 'Wild Thing: A Life of Paul Gauguin'. Prideaux's award-winning works have captivated readers worldwide. From her Jame…

1
Read Smart: The 2024 Shortlist 11:12

2M ago11:12

11:12

Tune into the latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast, where host Georgina Godwin is joined by Heather Brooke, a member of this year's judging panel, to discuss the 2024 shortlist. Why did these six books stand out from the rest of the longlist? Listen now to hear all about it. The 2024 shortlist:- The Story of a Heart by Rachel Clarke- Question 7…

1
Why growth investors can’t ignore China 24:58

2M ago24:58

24:58

China is transitioning from a property-led economy to one focused on advanced manufacturing. It already leads the world in electric car production and the batteries that power them. And it’s also a growing force in renewables, robotics and biotech. Investment manager Helen Xiong discusses some of the growth companies involved, why concerns about ov…

1
Read Smart: The 2024 Longlist 51:55

3M ago51:55

51:55

Tune into the latest episode of the Read Smart podcast, where two of our judges – Peter Hoskin and Chitra Ramaswamy – explore the 2024 longlist with our host, Georgina Godwin. Spanning the subjects of displacement, colonialism and nuclear war, this year's longlist unapologetically holds up a mirror to our contemporary world.Listen now to hear all a…

1
Read Smart: Real Lives, Real Minds - Mental Health Within Non 25:33

3M ago25:33

25:33

Tune in to the next episode of The Read Smart Podcast, where Georgina Godwin speaks to Christina Lamb and Catrina Davies about the complex and delicate matter of exploring mental health and private contemplation on the public literary stage. Listen now to hear all about it. This podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. To…

1
Capitalising on change: Japan’s growth champions 29:49

4M ago29:49

29:49

Upheaval can create opportunity. Baillie Gifford’s Japan Team seeks out companies that will derive the greatest long-term benefit from transformational forces impacting business and broader society. In this podcast, investment manager Matthew Brett identifies four ‘structural growth’ drivers and the portfolio companies taking advantage of them. Bac…

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

5M 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

6M 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
Read Smart: Understanding China 38:20

7M 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
Read Smart: Gardens Past and Present 38:41

8M 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
Why emerging markets have changed 28:14

8M 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
Read Smart: Insight into a Year of Elections 35:15

10M 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
The weight-loss drug with huge growth potential 27:19

10M 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
The 3 characteristics of great growth companies 28:34

11M 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
The Amazon way: mixing ones and zeros with nuts and bolts 26:51

12M 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
Beyond China: south-east Asia’s next export stars 26:45

1y 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
The 2023 Winner 48:50

1y 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…

1
The 2023 Shortlist: Jennifer Homans 37:34

1y ago37:34

37:34

Tune into the latest episode of the Read Smart podcast, which is dedicated to Jennifer Homans and her #BGPrize2023 shortlisted work, Mr B: George Balanchine’s 20th Century. Recognised as the first major biography of the legendary choreographer and based on more than one hundred interviews, Jennifer’s work takes readers through the tumultuous life o…

1
The 2023 Shortlist: Tania Branigan 38:21

1y ago38:21

38:21

Tune into this special shortlist edition of the Read Smart podcast, where Toby Mundy speaks to #BGPrize2023 shortlisted author Tania Branigan about her book, Red Memory: Living, Remembering and Forgetting China’s Cultural Revolution. Branigan’s book explores and uncovers forty years of rarely heard stories surrounding this Cultural Revolution, begg…

1
The 2023 Shortlist: Hannah Barnes 28:39

1y ago28:39

28:39

Tune into this special shortlist edition of the Read Smart podcast, where Razia Iqbal speaks to #BGPrize2023 shortlisted author, Hannah Barnes about Time To Think: The Inside Story of the Collapse of the Tavistock’s Gender Service for Children. Through unprecedented access to thousands of pages of documents, internal emails, unpublished reports and…

1
Japan: a new dawn for growth investing 21:07

1y ago21:07

21:07

Is the time ripe for Japanese growth stocks? Donald Farquharson is Baillie Gifford’s head of Japanese equities and knows the market better than most. In the latest episode of Short Briefings on Long Term Thinking he draws on a recent visit to the country to explain why conditions seem favourable for a cohort of domestic companies with long-term min…

1
The 2023 Shortlist: Christopher Clark 51:10

1y ago51:10

51:10

Tune into this episode of The Read Smart podcast, where host Toby Mundy speaks to 2023 shortlisted author Christopher Clark. Christopher’s book, Revolutionary Spring: Fighting for New World 1848-1849, details this extraordinary year in European history, where demonstrators rebelled against societal structures, governments and armies lost control an…

1
The 2023 Shortlist: John Vaillant 34:37

1y ago34:37

34:37

Tune into the latest episode of the Read Smart podcast, where Toby Mundy will be speaking to another one of this year’s shortlisted authors, John Vaillant. John’s work Fire Weather explores the apocalyptic wildfire that took place in Fort McMurray in 2016, as well as the past and future of our increasingly flammable world. The shortlisted book delv…

1
The 2023 Shortlist: Jeremy Eichler 45:57

1y ago45:57

45:57

Tune into the first of our Read Smart special shortlist episodes, where we will be chatting to all six of this year’s shortlisted authors in the run up to the winner announcement. First up, Prize Director Toby Mundy speaks to Jeremy Eichler, author of Time’s Echo: The Second World War, the Holocaust and the Music of Remembrance about how music bear…

1
The 2023 Shortlist 44:13

1y ago44:13

44:13

Tune into the special shortlist episode of the Read Smart podcast, which features the Baillie Gifford Prize live event from Cheltenham Literature Festival last Sunday. Hear Chair of Judges Frederick Studemann speak to last year’s winner, Katherine Rundell, about her fascination for the electric life and work of poet John Donne, alongside the moment…

1
Read Smart: The 2023 Longlist 43:46

1+ y ago43:46

43:46

Tune into the latest episode of the Read Smart podcast, where two of our judges – Arifa Akbar and Ruth Scurr – will be delving into the 2023 longlist with our host, Razia Iqbal. Spanning the complex themes of war, memory, revolution and science, this year’s longlist illuminates a myriad of historical topics, bringing to life forgotten stories that …

1
The science and art of picking growth stocks

1+ y ago

—

What counts as a growth stock is ever-changing. Mark Urquhart shares lessons from 27 years of investing to explain how he decides what to buy and how long to hold as he continues his hunt for outsized returns. Background: In 1996, our largest investments included oil and gas companies and high street banks. These days, our biggest holdings speciali…

1
The power of Actual investing during changing times 25:22

1+ y ago25:22

25:22

Stuart Dunbar explains why a long-term investment approach suits the new types of growth companies that are emerging. Background: It’s been five years since Baillie Gifford launched its ‘actual investors’ campaign. It focuses on the firm’s long-term, active approach to growth. In this episode, the effort’s mastermind Stuart Dunbar joins Malcolm Bor…

1
From steam trains to AI vision: 150 years of investing 27:30

1+ y ago27:30

27:30

To mark the pioneering Trust’s anniversary, James Dow delves into SAINTS’ origins and explains how he helped reinvigorate it for a new age. Background: The Scottish American Investment Company (SAINTS) made its debut in 1873, introducing the first trust to prevent shareholders from facing ruin if a business they backed failed. This groundbreaking a…

1
James Shapiro - The Baillie Gifford Prize Winner of Winners 11:05

1+ y ago11:05

11:05

The latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast is dedicated to our Winner of Winners, James Shapiro, who won our 25th anniversary award two weeks ago today with 1599: A Year In the Life of William Shakespeare. Listen to Shapiro and Iqbal discuss the literary canon, the cultural significance of Shakespeare’s plays and the Bard’s influence on contempor…

1
Read Smart: The Winner of Winners Shortlist - Patrick Radden Keefe 31:55

1+ y ago31:55

31:55

The latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast features Prize Director Toby Mundy speaking to Patrick Radden Keefe, who won the prize in 2021 with Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty. Radden Keefe and Mundy together explore the dark and murky methods of the Sackler family, as well as the consequences of the crisis that are still…

1
Read Smart: The Winner of Winners Shortlist - Margaret MacMillan 29:30

1+ y ago29:30

29:30

The latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast features Razia Iqbal speaking to Margaret MacMillan, author of Paris 1919, formerly titled Peacemakers, about how the book casts a new light on the negotiations that influenced the modern world. As the first woman to ever win the Baillie Gifford Prize in 2002, MacMillan explores the fascinating figures b…

1
Investing in a sustainability revolution 17:25

1+ y ago17:25

17:25

Keystone Positive Change’s Kate Fox on thinking about the world in 2050 to spot opportunities today. Background: Kate’s conversation with Malcolm Borthwick covers her work with the Deep Transitions Futures project, coordinated by the University of Sussex and Utrecht University and supported by Baillie Gifford. The project aims to identify patterns …

1
Read Smart: The Winner of Winners Shortlist - Wade Davis 33:47

1+ y ago33:47

33:47

The latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast features host Razia Iqbal speaking to Wade Davis, 2012 winner of The Baillie Gifford Prize, about Into The Silence, a book delving into the psychological aftermath of the First World War and mountaineer George Mallory’s fatal expedition to Mount Everest. The Guardian has praised Davis’ work, highlighting…

1
Read Smart: The Winner of Winner's Shortlist - James Shapiro 25:34

1+ y ago25:34

25:34

The latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast continues our Winner of Winners series, where each of the shortlisted authors are interviewed. This week, host Razia Iqbal will be speaking to James Shapiro, who won the prize in 2006 with 1599: A Year In The Life of William Shakespeare. Iqbal and Shapiro explore life in Elizabethan England, how Shakespe…

1
Read Smart: The Winner of Winners Shortlist: Craig Brown 32:28

1+ y ago32:28

32:28

The latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast features host Razia Iqbal speaking to Craig Brown about his book One, Two, Three, Four: The Beatles in Time, which won the Baillie Gifford Prize in 2020. Brown’s book has been described by The Guardian as “not a biography so much as a group portrait in vignettes, a rearrangement of stories and legends wh…

1
Read Smart: The Winner of Winners shortlist – Barbara Demick 32:32

1+ y ago32:32

32:32

The latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast kicks off the first of our special Winners of Winners episodes, in which each of the shortlisted authors will be interviewed. This week, host Razia Iqbal will be speaking to Barbara Demick, who won the Prize in 2010 with Nothing to Envy: Real Lives in North Korea. In the book, Demick weaves together the …

1
The Winner Of Winners Shortlist 37:52

2y ago37:52

37:52

On 9th March, the Baillie Gifford Prize announced the shortlist for its 25th anniversary Winner of Winners award, which will go to the book the judges think is the best of the previous winners of the Prize. Listen in as host Razia Iqbal talks to judges Jason Cowley and Sarah Churchwell about which books they chose, and what the process has been lik…

1
Read Smart: A Quarter Century of the Prize, a 25th Anniversary Discussion 31:11

2y ago31:11

31:11

Listen to the latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast to discover more about the Prize’s history, and how the wider world of non-fiction has changed in the 25 years since it was first established. In this episode, former Baillie Gifford judge Razia Iqbal talks to Caroline Sanderson and Andrew Holgate, both of whom have chaired judging panels for t…

1
Why small companies are big in Japan 21:21

2y ago21:21

21:21

Meet the lesser-known niche players thriving in the shadow of the country’s big brands Think of Japanese companies and chances are giants such as Sony, Hitachi and Mitsubishi come to mind. You probably don't think of Shima Seiki - a maker of automated knitting machines, Descente, which owns licences to use brands such as Le Coq Sportif and Umbro, o…

1
Life Under Dictatorships with Michael Burleigh, Barbara Demick and Frank Dikötter 35:41

2y ago35:41

35:41

Make sure you tune into the latest episode of The Read Smart Podcast, which explores what life is like in dictatorships across the world and throughout history. Our host Razia Iqbal will be joined by three former winners of the prize; Historian Michael Burleigh, journalist Barbara Demick and historian Frank Dikötter. They delve into the fascinating…