Meet the manager: Linda Lin

If you weren’t a fund manager, what job would you do?

I would open a restaurant; I love good food and cooking. Scotland meets China: good beef and seafood.

What was the proudest moment of your career?

When I meet with the founders of our Chinese portfolio companies, they often tell me that Baillie Gifford is one of the most respected long-term investors globally. That is always a very proud moment.

What was the most difficult moment of your career and why?

The past few years have been challenging because company valuations in the Chinese market are so influenced by politics. As a long-term growth investor, I’m passionate about finding the best growth companies. We focus on fundamentals – a company’s operational progress – but that’s not what the market is currently focused on. In China, we have some of the best-in-class growth companies, even by global standards, so it is frustrating when this isn’t reflected in share prices. But I am confident our patience will be reflected in the long run.

What advice would you give to your 20-year-old self?

Travelling is one of the most useful ways to explore the world. I studied in New Zealand in my early twenties and visited Asia and Australia. But I didn’t get to see much of Europe. So, I’d say to travel more and visit as many places as you can – far and wide.

Away from the workplace, how do you spend your time?

I love to go hiking with my family. We moved back to Scotland from China recently, and there are so many incredible hikes and trails here.

Tell us about the last book you read or the last podcast you listened to? Or any music/concert you recently enjoyed and why?

Invention and Innovation: A Brief History of Hype and Failure, by Vaclav Smil. It’s a history of human ingenuity, charting different human inventions during the ages. What I’m enjoying most is that it tells us how to handle the hype and failures along the invention journey. 

The last show I saw was when I was living in Shanghai last year, the Irish musical - Once. It’s based on the 2007 film of the same name by John Carney and tells the story of a busker and an immigrant’s eventful week in Dublin.

Where was the last place you went on holiday and why?

I took my family to Hangzhou, one of the most beautiful cities in China. We stayed in a tea plantation and went hiking in the tea mountains.

In your personal life, what would you like to achieve in the next 12 months?

I want to start playing the piano again. My four-year-old son recently took it up, and when I hear him play, it makes me feel quite nostalgic. I think it would be an enjoyable journey to pick that back up.