Baillie Gifford Shin Nippon (BGS) has announced a change in its portfolio management team, with Brian Lum taking over as lead portfolio manager from Praveen Kumar with immediate effect. Jared Anderson has been appointed deputy portfolio manager.
The move follows an internal review by Baillie Gifford and forms part of a broader set of changes implemented over the past year. There will be no change to BGS’s investment objective, policy, or the process used by the Japanese equities team.
Brian Lum, who has been with Baillie Gifford since 2006, brings 18 years of experience and is currently a member of the International Growth Portfolio Construction Group. He was recently appointed deputy manager of BGS and co-manager of the Japanese Smaller Companies Fund.
Jared Anderson, who joined the firm in 2016, is co-manager of both the Japanese Fund and Japanese Smaller Companies Fund. He previously worked as an economist with the Scottish Government and holds an MA in Economics from the University of Edinburgh.
The board expressed its appreciation for Praveen Kumar’s long-standing contribution and welcomed Brian and Jared to their new roles, noting that these changes are part of a broader strategic evolution at Baillie Gifford.
Brian Lum gave a presentation on behalf of BGS at Baillie Gifford’s Investment Trust Conference in Edinburgh on 16 May 2025. We were at the conference covering events and you can read more about Brian’s presentation by clicking here.
[QD comment MR: It is understandable why shareholders could be getting frustrated with BGS’s performance. While any change in personnel can raise questions, Baillie Gifford’s team-based approach and consistent investment philosophy suggest that the transition should be smooth. It helps that Brian Lum has been closely involved with Shin Nippon in a deputy role and brings substantial experience from across the firm’s international growth and Japanese small-cap strategies. Jared Anderson’s appointment should help to strengthen the team given his existing responsibilities on related mandates.]
Separately, Baillie Gifford Japan Trust (BGFD) has announced that Praveen Kumar has stepped down as that company’s deputy portfolio manager. BGFD’s board says that it is working with Baillie Gifford on the appointment of a deputy manager and will update shareholders on this process as soon as possible, with the intention that it is no later than the announcement of the Company’s annual results in October 2025. In the interim period, Brian Lum, will also assist Matthew Brett with the management of the small-cap stocks within BGFD’s portfolio.
