In fund management terms, Roger Guy, the star manager around which Gartmore built much of its reputation, could be classed as a ‘lifer’. When he retires from the company next May, he will have been there for over 17 years, during which time he has become an integral part of the company’s fabric.

He was born three years before Gartmore's launch in 1969 and his professional life has run alongside that of the company. He is a significant shareholder - owning 13% at the time of the company's initial public offering - and has been on the Gartmore board of directors, a position he lost following the listing.