How Border to Coast is cultivating investment talent in the North

Published: September 12, 2025

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By investing in local graduates and building careers from the ground up, Border to Coast is proving that top-tier investment management doesn’t have to come with a London postcode

When Border to Coast launched in 2018, it faced a familiar challenge: how do you build a world-class investment team when the talent pipeline flows almost exclusively through London and Edinburgh? Its answer was quietly transformative: build the pipeline yourself.

Rather than rely on traditional recruitment channels, Border to Coast created a graduate programme designed to give Yorkshire’s brightest students a reason to stay local and build long-term careers in investment management.

“We decided to build our own talent pipeline because it wasn’t necessarily there in the market,” Louise Bryan, chief people officer of Border to Coast said.

Since its inception, the programme has welcomed 19 graduates into the Leeds-based business. These early-career professionals are not only contributing to Border to Coast’s success – they’re helping to shape Leeds into a credible financial centre, forming part of what’s now being called the “Northern Square Mile.”

A strategic investment in regional talent

The graduate programme is more than a recruitment initiative. It’s a strategic investment in the future of Yorkshire’s financial ecosystem. “It’s about building those future skills for ourselves and supporting the development of key investment management capabilities here in Leeds,” Bryan said.

“We’re heavily invested in Leeds as a modern financial services centre.”

This vision aligns with national policy. In her recent Mansion House speech, the Chancellor named Leeds one of the UK’s “great hubs” for financial services, with Rachel Reeves even putting forward the “Leeds Reforms”, which aims to unlock capital and drive regional growth.

A region on the rise

Yorkshire and the Humber’s financial and professional services sector is already a powerhouse. Nearly 300,000 people work in the industry, contributing over £21.3 billion – more than 10% of the region’s economic output.

The region is home to institutions managing billions in assets, from long-standing names like Yorkshire, Leeds and Skipton Building Societies to major banks like Lloyds. It’s also a hub for innovation, with a thriving fintech sector and newer organisations like the National Wealth Fund shaping the future of finance.

Central government support has been strong, with the FCA and Bank of England committing to locate teams in the region.

And in 2024, the Yorkshire and the Humber Financial and Professional Services Skills Commission laid out recommendations to help the sector adapt to technological change, shifting demographics, and evolving workplace culture.

The bigger picture

Border to Coast’s graduate programme is a key part of this transformation. It’s not just about developing individual careers – it’s about challenging the geographical concentration of investment management talent and proving that world-class finance careers can thrive outside the M25.

“We’re really trying to emphasise that there’s more than just London and Edinburgh when it comes to investment careers,” Bryan said. “The more we can do to highlight that, the better.”

From Application to Employment

Border to Coast is determined to contribute to the growth of Yorkshire as a financial centre through its graduate programme, which over the last six years has gone from strength to strength – receiving nearly 1,000 applications at last count.

Over the four-year programme, each graduate completes five rotations before securing their long-term specialised role.

Border to Coast also supports graduates through their Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) qualification with support continuing beyond the completion of the programme.

The graduate programme in action

To understand how the programme works in practice, we spoke to graduate analyst Holly Owens and one of the programme managers, credit strategist Steve Holmes.

Owens started on the Graduate Programme at Border to Coast in 2022. “I enjoyed studying economics and finance at university, but I wasn’t aware of all the career options available to me – or that this industry even existed!” she said.

“As I started exploring roles that aligned with my skills, I came across a portfolio risk analyst vacancy at Border to Coast. Once I had started in portfolio risk, HR encouraged me to apply for the Graduate Programme.

“I hadn’t considered it before, but the rotational structure was very attractive – I could try out different jobs before I picked one. Colleagues and family also encouraged me, with one person telling me ‘you’ll never get the opportunity to try out different jobs again without taking a pay cut’. This has stuck with me ever since.”

How the programme works

Explaining how the programme works, Holmes said: “Everyone starts in research for a year. They write equity reports, analysing and publishing their opinion on opportunities for companies that we own or are considering – this work can directly influence our portfolio managers’ investment decisions.

“They also do a deep dive on a particular responsible investment issue facing one of our investee companies.

“They learn to talk to other equity analysts, go on away days, conferences, and work in fixed income, learning to do a credit analysis report. There may also be an opportunity to work on special projects working directly with the executive team.”

This comprehensive approach ensures that graduates contribute meaningfully from the start. Holmes said: “Our graduates contribute to the workload of the business.

“They’re doing real projects that lead directly to customer outcomes. They rotate through areas of the investment team where we believe there’ll be a business need for people with a recent CFA and four years of broad experience in the future.”

The programme’s structure is carefully designed for maximum exposure. Holmes explained: “At the moment graduates rotate through customer relationship management, alternative investments, external management and research.

“Whilst there, they might also experience portfolio risk, internal equities, responsible investment and fixed income investments. In addition, graduates learn core skills like leadership, legal, and risk and compliance through workshops and shadowing days.”

The mentorship approach

With a career spanning more than 30 years at asset managers across the UK, Asia and the Antipodes, Holmes brought a unique pastoral approach to Border to Coast’s Graduate Programme.

Inspired by his son’s school in Brisbane, where the same Form Dean stayed with each cohort of students throughout their entire time at the school from day one to graduation, Holmes applied a similar philosophy. “The Form Dean really got to know the kids,” he said, “and was their sounding board right through their education.”

Holmes believed graduates and the wider business really benefit from the departmental rotations.

“There’s a danger early in a career that you settle into something that seems quite good so you are tempted to focus on that area, but it might turn out that the next rotation is even better for you,” he said. “Border to Coast really values a ‘breadth premium’ – a broad range of experience seeing first-hand the different aspects of the industry.”

A graduate’s perspective

This philosophy resonated with Owens’ experience. She had recently completed her CFA qualification and will move into her permanent role at Border to Coast in March 2026.

Reflecting on her experience of each department, she said: “I have enjoyed them all, but my time in the alternative investments team stands out. It’s a well-run team, and my line manager clearly outlined what I needed to do to succeed – and what above and beyond looked like.

“I found the work really interesting. I particularly enjoyed engaging with Border to Coast’s managers who invest in assets with positive environmental impacts, and writing reports to help get new investments over the line.

Beyond technical skills, Owens honed her soft skills too. “I realise I’m very organised and detail focused,” she said. “I struggle with public speaking, so I keep pushing myself to do more.

“There’s also opportunities to get involved in all sorts beyond the day-to-day. This summer, I organised a company-wide sports day supported by the Social Group, which I chair. It was a great way to bring colleagues together and to practise my organisation and leadership skills in a fun, informal setting.”

Training and self-development

Graduates also benefit from dual support: their line manager and a graduate success coach.

“That’s your informal mentor, and they’re a sounding board when you might want to speak to someone outside of your line manager,” Bryan said.

Programme success is measured by graduate growth during their tenure.

Holmes’ pastoral approach had proven highly effective. As the people manager for graduates during their first year on the programme, he noted: “Some of the best portfolio managers I’ve worked with during my career came from other areas of the business such as portfolio risk and CRM,” he said.

“Grads quickly learn how to write for business rather than academia, they pick up how to listen for the key facts and nuances on an investor call, how to ask questions, how to ask colleagues for help.” Holmes has supported the programme for almost two years, and said “the most rewarding part is seeing their skills and their confidence grow from shy youngsters to confident and valuable contributors in their first work role.”

Creating community

From day one, Border to Coast prioritises creating a sense of belonging for its graduates. “Having 180 people all on one floor in Leeds gives you that sense of community at the start, which is great,” Bryan said.

“I’m testament to this. I joined the same day as four graduates and we were all together from day one, alongside the new head of responsible investment and chief risk officer. All new starters do their first day induction together regardless of role or seniority.”

Long-term value and career development

The programme’s long-term value was clear to both participants and mentors. When graduates complete the programme, there is a permanent role for them at Border to Coast which puts them on the career path to becoming a senior investment professional.

Owens valued the unique career path offered by the LGPS: “It benefits people who work for local councils, so that’s really rewarding,” she said.

“I’ve also earned my CFA qualification while progressing through the rotations, with the ongoing support of my rotation managers. This certainly stands out.”

Beyond the graduate programme

Alongside the Graduate Programme, Border to Coast partners with Girls Are Investors (GAIN), a UK charity founded in 2019 that aims to increase women and non-binary representation in investment management through educational resources, mentoring, and internships.

The partnership includes hosting summer internships, school outreach programmes, and has already seen success with one former GAIN intern becoming a Border to Coast graduate who now promotes the charity nationally.

The pool also operates an apprenticeship programme focusing on corporate functions like HR, compliance, and risk, with ambitions to expand into areas such as data.

Advice for future graduates

Both Owens and Holmes offered similar encouragement to prospective graduates. “My advice to anyone considering a Graduate Programme is to go for it!” Owens said. “Exploring different roles helps you understand what suits you best.

“Everything you learn along the way is useful. Also, make yourself visible, and engage with others – new opportunities open up and it makes work more enjoyable.”

Holmes echoed this sentiment: “My advice to someone considering a Graduate Programme would be, do it!” he said. “Don’t discount the breadth premium – choose a programme where your experience will be broad.

“Look for opportunities to add value. The more ways you find to be valuable to your colleagues and your business, the more rewarding your career will be.”

Further reading
For more information about Border to Coast, visit: Border to Coast Pooling Perspective
Border to Coast website