Yiya Zhang and Sami Shahadat — from Altrincham Grammar School for Girls to Durham University, via Young Economist of the Year and Junior Trader.
You wait ages for a bus, and then two come along at once and this duo tested my nature/nurture instincts when writing this blog after catching up with two of our Junior Trader alumni, Yiya Zhang and Sami Shahadat. Both attended Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, both were crowned Young Economist of the Year in 2023, both subsequently participated in Junior Trader, and both are now studying Economics and Politics at Durham University. To be fair to due process, they are not a JT find.
They have been something of an economics double act since they were 15. Both are exceptionally bright, commercially curious and already accumulating the sort of experience that makes employers sit up and take notice. To help me distinguish their attributes I delved into their immediate family roots, but that didn’t help me either – both have parents who are STEM Professors and teachers.
Both have already secured valuable exposure to leading financial and professional services organisations so thankfully the pair who I have known for 3 years now have a different approach thanks to their career interface. Yiya appears increasingly drawn towards trading, where economics, politics and market movements meet in real time. Sami seems more attracted to research and the analytical side of finance, with a particular interest in Debt Capital Markets (DCM).
Their first major achievement came before Junior Trader, when they jointly won the Royal Economic Society’s Young Economist of the Year competition, supported by KPMG.
Their subject was the regulation of Big Tech, and their winning contribution subsequently appeared in the Financial Times. Rather than relying on a conventional written submission, they took an imaginative approach, presenting their arguments through video. It was an early demonstration that understanding economics is one thing, but communicating it convincingly is quite another. Outstanding.
Their interest in politics is equally revealing, recognising that the two disciplines are inseparable. It is difficult to think of a better time to be studying the relationship between the two.
Yiya has experienced HSBC, Bloomberg and, most recently, Glencore, where she was selected as one of just 17 students from more than 1,800 applicants for its Commodities Trading Spring Week.
Sami has undertaken an internship with NextWave Consulting through the One4One Financial Markets programme, gaining experience of consulting and exposure to the rapidly developing world of financial technology.
We discussed how the recruitment market has changed before their eyes. Opportunities are now distributed almost instantaneously through online internship trackers, allowing thousands of students to identify and apply for the same positions.
The result is what Sami describes as a race for internships.
The speed of information has undoubtedly widened access, but it has also swollen applicant numbers. Students are competing against people from far and wide, from universities across the country, and for remarkably few places.
Neither seems particularly intimidated. Infact, up for it!
Yiya told me that Junior Trader has remained on her CV since 2023 and that she still refers to the competition in interviews. That is gratifying. The experience gave her practical examples of teamwork, decision-making and responding when information is incomplete.
One of my favourite parts of these conversations concerned Bloomberg. Our Junior Trader London Finance Walking Tour finishes at Bloomberg’s European headquarters, and there is a very deliberate reason for that. Throughout the walk, we explore the development of financial markets, the institutions that shaped them, and the relationship between commerce, politics and the City of London.
Bloomberg provides a remarkable conclusion. Its London headquarters incorporates the remains of the Roman Temple of Mithras, bringing almost 2,000 years of history into a building at the forefront of modern financial information and technology whilst shining a light on philanthropy.
Sami immediately appreciated the significance of that architectural connection between ancient London and modern financial markets. But what I shall remember most was her excitement when she described seeing a Bloomberg Terminal for the first time inside the offices.
There is something special about witnessing a student discover the infrastructure through which information is transformed into financial decisions.
Yiya, meanwhile, has experienced Bloomberg’s financial newsroom and seen how the news that drives markets is researched, produced and disseminated.
Between them, they have experienced two sides of the same organisation: the information itself and the machinery that delivers it.
It is precisely why we finish our walking tours there. History is not simply something we leave behind. It helps explain the financial world we inhabit today.
Manchester matters
There is another connection between these two young women that I particularly enjoyed discussing: Manchester. Both have grown up in the area, and Yiya speaks warmly about her Mancunian identity and like me admits to playing the role with pride.
I asked whether she would choose an identical career opportunity in Manchester or London. Manchester was her answer. That interested me enormously. We often talk about London as though it has a monopoly on financial opportunity, forgetting the extraordinary commercial, industrial and intellectual history of the North West.
Manchester has major universities, a substantial professional services sector, growing financial and technology businesses, and a history of innovation that helped shape the modern engineering and the economy.
Nevertheless, there remains a geographic disadvantage for students seeking entry into certain parts of financial services. Many insight events, internships and networking opportunities are concentrated in London, and the cost of travelling there is not insignificant. Talent is not confined to the capital. Opportunity should not be either.
Human capital
Perhaps the most encouraging conclusion from both conversations was their appreciation of something that cannot easily be measured through examinations. Human capital.
Both recognise that technical knowledge and qualifications matter, but so do relationships, credibility, curiosity and the ability to engage with people.
University societies, professional networks and industry events are already playing a part in their development. They understand that being known for the right reasons can matter as much as what appears on a CV.
I have offered to visit their university society and share a few tales from the dealing room. I suspect they will find that financial markets have changed considerably since my day, although human behaviour rather less so.
Their friendship has undoubtedly been an asset. They have challenged, encouraged and learned from each other through successive competitions, university applications and now the early stages of their careers and they are beginning to develop distinct interests.
I began these interviews expecting to hear about two successful Junior Trader alumni. What I discovered was a partnership that began well before our competition and continues to develop enviably as they navigate an increasingly competitive professional world.
But I am pleased that the competition has contributed something useful to their development, and particularly that the experience remains relevant when they are discussing their capabilities with prospective employers.
Neither has yet begun a full-time career in financial markets, and there will undoubtedly be setbacks alongside their successes.
If careers were listed securities, I would hedge my bets and pair trade both.
