Scottish Highlands home to the next generation of Future Female Investors
After going to head-to-head with 660 schoolgirls competing from 144 teams across Scotland, Kingussie High School, based in the Scottish Highlands, has scooped first place for not one, but both the Junior and Senior categories, at this year’s nationwide Growing Future Assets Competition.
Helen Bradley, Future Asset CEO, says: “This is an exceptional result for Kingussie High School. The fact that they have won both the junior and senior categories is outstanding. The judging panel were incredibly impressed with all of the entries but what really came across undeniably with both the teams from Kinguissie High School was their ability to understand the key elements in making an investment decision which is exactly what this competition is all about.”
The students, aged between 14 and 18, came out top in the Growing Future Assets Investment Competition, a contest to nurture future women in investment and encourage them to consider a career in the investment management industry.
Councillor John Finlayson, Eilean a’ Cheo Ward - Chair, Highland Council Education Committee comments: “It is great to hear of Kingussie High School’s success in this competition which has given those involved the chance to consider in a practical way how money is invested in the business world while also developing communication, presentation and pitching skills. I am sure the experience was enjoyed by all who took part and it is particularly encouraging to hear of a Highland school’s success for the second year running.”
Lenka Nagle, Faculty Head of Mathematics & Numeracy and Computing at Kingussie High School comments, “We’re absolutely thrilled that both our teams of girls won. It’s a huge achievement not only for the girls but also for us as a school and we are so proud of them! It has opened their eyes to a possibility of a career in the world of investment and we are so excited to support them all; with their onward growth and development.”
Georgiana Radulescu, Vice President Head of Investor Relations at TOMRA said, “We are very impressed with the work done by the team, congratulations! To address big challenges like resource scarcity and climate change, we need many ideas, perspectives, and diversity in both business and investing. It was great to see the girls’ take on our story, we are happy to have been chosen, and thank you for inspiring us back.”
The Senior Team, 16 -18 age group category (Gabi, Kirsty, Catrin, Zoe and Sasha) delivered a highly professional pitch on the sorting and recycling company TOMRA , whilst the Junior Team, 14-16 year category (Lucy, Tia and Jess) presented on renewable energy firm SolarEdge.
The girls delivered their pitches to separate panels of investment management professionals from Baillie Gifford, Walter Scott and Partners, RBC Brewin Dolphin, Rathbones, Martin Currie and BlackRock. Remarkably, both Kingussie teams came out on top, narrowly beating Alva Academy pitching John Deere in the senior finals and North Berwick High School pitching Planet Fitness in the juniors.
Sarah Whitley, Chair of Future Asset, Senior Category judge and former Partner at Baillie Gifford said, “This year was the third annual competition, and the standard of the submissions has got higher and higher with each year. Future Asset as an organisation cannot wait for these winners to enter the financial workforce!”
The competition is run/organised by Scottish financial educators Future Asset who believe that being female should never be a barrier to progressing in a chosen career and the contest introduces senior schoolgirls to potential careers in investment, demonstrating how working in the sector can change the world for the better and give young women valuable, transferable skills.
Sally Greig, Investment Manager, Baillie Gifford and Co said, “Baillie Gifford is delighted to be sponsoring Future Asset and this competition. The large number of applicants and quality of submissions shows that we have huge untapped potential when it comes to attracting women into the industry. We hope to see some of these talented young women applying to Baillie Gifford in the years to come!”
Competing against Kingussie High School for the top spot in the senior 16-18 year age group were Preston Lodge High School (Prestonpans, East Lothian), George Watson’s College (Edinburgh) and Alva Academy (Clackmannanshire).
Challenging them for the honours in the junior 14-16 year category were girls from Hillhead High School (Glasgow), North Berwick High School (East Lothian) and Oban High School (Argyll).
