Baillie Gifford, the global investment management partnership, has appointed Paul Schwerda as co- manager of its Baillie Gifford Japan Smaller Companies Fund, joining Praveen Kumar on the Fund with immediate effect.
Paul joined Baillie Gifford in 2018 and is an investment manager in the Japanese Equities team. He graduated PhD in South Asian Studies from Harvard University in 2017. Prior to this he gained an AM in South Asian Studies from Harvard University in 2015 and an MA in Indian Studies from the University of Tübingen in 2011. Paul has lived in Japan and has a long-standing fascination with the country. He is particularly interested in identifying those companies that will shape Japan’s economic future.
The £459mn Baillie Gifford Japan Smaller Companies Fund was launched nearly 30 years ago. Its managers look for innovative growth companies often disrupting traditional Japanese business practices.
James Budden, director of Retail Marketing & Distribution, Baillie Gifford, says:
“Praveen has been managing this fund solo since the end of 2015. Paul’s appointment will broaden debate and allow an increasedfocus on company research in what is an under researched area. Japanese Smaller Companies have a reputation as something of a ‘boom or bust asset’ class. This may be unfair, but returns do tend to come in cycles. Arguably, we could be in the foothills on one such ascent and Paul can now formally play a part in the progression of this Fund.”
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