From steam trains to AI vision: 150 years of investing
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 approach instilled confidence, paving the way for the public to invest in a vital US railway among other enticing overseas opportunities.Nearly 20 years ago, Baillie Gifford took over the Trust’s management. Joint manager James Dow helped revitalise SAINTS by focusing on exceptional income-driven global companies. As he tells podcast host Malcolm Borthwick, their activities range from making AI-enhanced factory cameras to creating some of the world’s most sought-after cosmetics.Resources:The Scottish American Investment Trust Company (https://www.bailliegifford.com/saints)Order a copy of the SAINTS: 150 Years book (bailliegifford.com/saints150)SAINTS Manager Insights video, April 2023 (https://www.bailliegifford.com/en/uk/individual-investors/funds/scottish-american-investment-company/ic-video/2023-q2-saints-manager-insights-10019470/)The SAINTS approach webinar video, March 2023 (https://www.bailliegifford.com/en/uk/individual-investors/funds/scottish-american-investment-company/ic-video/2023-q1-the-saints-approach-10018232/)Shoemaker by Reebok founder Joe Foster (https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/books/Shoemaker/Joe-Foster/9781471194047)My Years at Volkswagen by Carl Hahn (https://carl-hahn.de/en/memoirs)Baillie Gifford’s Trust magazine (https://www.bailliegifford.com/en/uk/individual-investors/trust-magazine/)Follow us via:Twitter (https://twitter.com/bailliegifford)LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/baillie-gifford/mycompany/)Email (https://www.bailliegifford.com/en/uk/individual-investors/email-sign-up/)Companies mentioned include:Analog Devices (https://www.analog.com/en/index.html)Atlas Copco (https://www.atlascopco.com/)Cognex (https://www.cognex.com/)L'Oréal (https://www.loreal.com/en/)