University of Derby students take top prize at University Trading Awards in London

Economics students from the University of Derby have scooped three of the top accolades at the University Trading Challenge, including the competition’s first prize of Best Team Performance.

Third year Economics for Business students, Jake Gonella, Tom Vaughan and Walton Mabuto, were among competitors from eight other universities at the event held at City University London. The trio also took home the prize for Best Team Presentation, and Jake won Best Portfolio Trading Individual.

The University Trading Challenge, now in its eighth year, is an annual competition that is open to all full-time students in Finance and Economics programmes at universities across the UK. Teams of three students go head-to-head in simulated situations for a trading challenge, a portfolio challenge, a treasury trading challenge and an investment banking challenge. Each competition area highlights products or strategies exclusive to the capital markets and gives students an opportunity to sharpen their trading skills. 

As first prize winners, the students will have access to the same summer internship training programme that is delivered to top investment banks through financial market training provider, Global Markets Academy.

Martyn Kendrick, Deputy Dean of the College of Business, Law and Social Sciences at the University of Derby, said: “Many congratulations to our winning students for this well deserved success in a very prestigious event. To win three of the top awards is a fantastic achievement and shows great effort on their behalf against some very stiff competition.

“This is the fifth year in a row that our students have won awards in the University Trading Awards, which is real testament to their hard work and the support that the team of academics give in preparing the students for this competition.”

Student, Jake Gonella, added: “This year’s University Trading Challenge has been an invaluable experience in applying and testing my theoretical knowledge within a leading financial workplace. Three years of economic theory, influence and opportunities, such as using the University’s Bloomberg Financial Lab, the catalogue of experience and support from the economics division and the applied nature of my course at the University of Derby, has been central to the development of my skills required for this competition.

“To walk away from the competition as a team with three of the top awards, including an individual portfolio trader award, highlights the success of our collaborative team efforts, dedication towards us from the University, and my progression as an individual economics student. I feel very proud to represent the University of Derby and I am thankful for the opportunities that have been offered to me throughout my degree.”