Brand, Marketing and Corporate Affairs is the key communicator across all of abrdn’s stakeholder groups. We combine reputation management, relationship building and targeted activity to support the commercial delivery for our Investments, Adviser and Personal growth vectors. Following the recent completion of our global rebrand, we are now focused on building and leveraging the power of one united voice under our single brand.

The firm is always commended for having a very open culture and they strongly support maintaining a work life balance, as I have found through the graduate rotational program. It amazes me how flat the structure is, which feeds into the collaborative and supportive nature of the firm allowing those early in their career to work with senior leaders.”


Erin Smith

Brand: Who we are and what we stand for, focussed on raising awareness and building consideration amongst clients, customers and prospects.

Marketing: The champion of our clients and customers across our three growth vectors, focussed on using client insight to inform acquisition and multi-channel engagement strategies aligned to vector trading plans.

Corporate Affairs: The voice of our colleagues and our brand, focussed on influencing and engaging a variety of stakeholders including media, commentators and policymakers. 

The function has an extremely broad scope, which enables us to offer experience to interns across a variety of different teams and disciplines, including:

  • Brand strategy and activation
  • Vector marketing – Investments, Adviser or Personal
  • Central marketing disciplines – Digital or Content
  • Events
  • PR and media
  • Corporate Communications
  • Public Affairs
  • Sustainability
  • Colleague Communications

Summer internships

The opportunity to join us as an intern is one that is unique, challenging and rewarding. We are currently looking for world-class talent to join our summer internship programme running from June – August 2023 in our Edinburgh or London offices within our Brand, Marketing & Corporate Affairs (BMCA) business.

From day one, you’ll contribute to our ambitions whilst developing your skills and knowledge. Over the 10 week summer placement you will be given real work with tangible outputs within the BMCA business, allowing you to gain exposure to real investment and business situations, with real responsibility.

Regardless of which team you join within the BMCA business you will gain a depth of experience; getting the opportunity to work with seasoned professionals across our business and engage in development activities with your peers on the internship programme. You will be based with the same team throughout the placement.

During the 10 week internship programme you will build knowledge within the department you are in as well as having the opportunity to build a network with other interns and wider colleagues.

As well as on the job learning, you will have access to a wide range of e-learning courses and complete a structured development programme over 10 weeks that includes training, networking and gaining exposure to senior stakeholders across the business.

On completion of your summer internship you will be considered for a position on our 24-month rotational graduate programme starting in September 2024 within the BMCA business. This programme gives graduates the chance to start their career in a highly supportive team environment, whilst gaining skills, experience along with support through further qualifications.

What our graduate programme offers

Our graduate development programmes provides you with the opportunity to rotate around the business for six month placements giving you exposure to the wider business and the option to complete one rotation outside of your base location.

To support our graduates to get going quickly we provide an extensive induction giving you access to hear from senior professionals across the company, complete soft and technical skills training courses and get to know your cohort of graduates.

Further to formal structured development programme and rotational opportunities, as a graduate you will be supported to work towards a recognised industry qualification.

We are currently looking for world-class talent to join our summer internship programme running from June – August 2023 in our Edinburgh or London offices within our Brand, Marketing & Corporate Affairs (BMCA) business.

On completion of your summer internship you will be considered for a position on our 24-month rotational graduate programme starting in September 2024 within the BMCA business. This programme gives graduates the chance to start their career in a highly supportive team environment, whilst gaining skills, experience along with support through further qualifications.

Applications for our 2023 Summer Internship & Graduate Programme within Brand Marketing & Corporate Affairs are now open.

During my internship and now having started the graduate programme, I have found that people within all business areas are there to support you in both your personal and professional development, and are always happy to share their insights as well as knowledge on how to best navigate the industry. As a new starter, you feel included in shaping the strategic direction of the company from day one as the business encourages a culture where your ideas and work are highly valued."