Are you interested in joining the Allan Gray investment team?

Are you curious about how Cartier sells jewellery to Chinese millionaires? About how bauxite gets converted into aluminium? About whether people will still use petrol cars in 2040?

Working for the Allan Gray investment team gives you the opportunity to explore and discuss hundreds of questions like these.

We value listed companies by doing fundamental research. This usually means reading annual reports, meeting with management, visiting the operations, studying competitors, and speaking with industry experts. The skills you will develop while doing this will be useful for any career in business.

Please read the FAQs below for more information. 

What are we looking for in a candidate?

Our ideal candidate is someone with two to three years of work experience – preferably not in investing. You don’t need any formal qualification, but you should be able to:

• Read a set of financial statements, and be comfortable with terms like GDP, EBITDA, and depreciation.
• Construct clear and logical arguments, sometimes involving calculations.
• Demonstrate that you have a curious nature. We would expect you to have a good general knowledge.
• Demonstrate an interest in business and investing. We would expect you to have read books about business in your spare time.
• Use Excel. 

Why should I rather work for Allan Gray than for a global consulting firm or investment bank?

The advantages of working for Allan Gray over these other paths include:

• Fewer pressing deadlines. You will typically work on a report for several months and manage your own time.
• The ability to make a meaningful contribution from your first month. At Allan Gray, you are encouraged to challenge the portfolio managers’ views. Your reports will be debated by the entire investment team, and could lead to a real investment decision.
• You are accountable for your own work. Instead of providing input into a larger document, and watching more senior people present this work, you will have complete ownership of your reports.
• More reasonable hours, giving you the ability to spend time on your hobbies.
• A similar or greater pay opportunity over the long term if you are successful. 

What else should I know before applying?

The application process will take several hours of your time. We realise this is a big ask, and we thank you in advance for your commitment. If you are keen to work for the investment team, but unsure whether you have the required knowledge, we recommend that you read some of the following books before applying:

1. The Intelligent Investor
2. The Essays of Warren Buffett
3. The Great Crash 1929 (Galbraith)
4. Politics and the English Language (Orwell)
5. The Economist Style Guide

We are currently only accepting applications from invited candidates.