Meet the Economist - Q&A with Gabriella Dickens – G7 Economist

Please tell us about yourself. What are your education and career experiences to date?

My career in economics has spanned approximately seven years, having primarily worked in the independent research space on the UK economy prior to joining the buy-side at AXA-IM around six months ago. While I enjoyed the sell-side, I wanted more first hand experience of how the research is used and how it helps aid in investment decisions. Joining AXA IM has enabled me to broaden my scope to include analysis of the Japanese and Canadian economies and working with various teams has allowed me to see the tangible impact of the research. My educational background includes a master's degree in Econometrics from the University of Nottingham, and an undergraduate degree in Economics from Loughborough University, providing a solid foundation for my career in economic analysis and research. 

What is interesting about your role here at AXA IM and what motivates you to do well?

What motivates me in my role at AXA IM is the opportunity to delve into a range of multifaceted economies. The dynamic nature of these markets presents a constant challenge, driving me in my analysis when providing insights to our stakeholders. A major part of this is keeping abreast of the latest geopolitical and economic news which is very interesting (and helps with dinner party chat). I also think it helps me to continually refine my analytical skills in order to make informed and impactful contributions. Meeting individuals with diverse backgrounds and expertise has broadened my perspective and has also helped enrich my understanding of global economies. This exposure fosters collaborative learning and has enhanced my ability to dissect complex economic scenarios.

How do you feel you complement the team’s skills and add value?

Since joining, it has been great to get to know the team and I have found that I have learnt so much in just six months. The collaborative nature of the team and the deep dives into different areas has provided me with a great insight into what’s going on in other economies which has given me a great ability to step back and think from a more global perspective when it comes to issues affecting the regions I look at more regularly. Having worked on the sell-side previously, I think I have a good insight into the key trends and topics that stakeholders are interested in and have had experience in communicating complex ideas to a variety of audiences.

Since joining the Macroeconomic Research team, what has surprised you the most?

Since joining the Macroeconomic Research team, I have been surprised at how quickly the time has gone! I have really loved facing so many new challenges and meeting lots of great people, from presenting the UK outlook at a finance conference to meeting the Chief Economist of the IMF. The company is such a great place to work and I have been pleasantly surprised that the core values at AXA IM really do underpin everything I do. Embracing new analytical demands has been invigorating, and I have relished the opportunity to expand my expertise to encompass diverse economic landscapes.

What does progress mean to you?

To me, progress is only made when you are continuing to learn, particularly in the face of the current global challenges and debates, such as the impact of climate change and AI, how sustainable government debt is in the wake of Covid and the big demographic changes taking place currently. Understanding the potential impacts and their severity is a key part of progress in my role at the moment. Outside of the day to day, understanding the intricacies of the team's dynamics and consistently adding value to our research efforts also represents a significant part of how I view progress in my professional journey.

And aside from work, tell us something interesting about yourself that most people won’t know?

Outside of work, I’m a pretty good skier, having lived on and off in Switzerland growing up. I love being in the mountains too both in the winter and the summer!