Pitching Illumina Inc, a cutting edge medical device company, the girls demonstrated innovative, strategic and analytical thinking, when presenting their chosen business as a viable and recommended investment opportunity.

The Growing Future Assets Competition final took place virtually on June 8 and 9.

The annual event, introducing senior schoolgirls across Scotland to the world of investment, its operation, relevance and impact as well as the range of careers available within the sector. It supports them towards developing an understanding that good investing is about the long-term prospects, profits and sustainability of a company.

The winning team received £1,000 for their school and £200 for each of the team members in vouchers of their choice. The runners up; Eyemouth High School, pitching Greggs also won £500 for their school and £100 worth of vouchers for each team member.  

Jacquie Ross, vice president of investor relations, corporate social responsibility and communications at Illumina, said: “It was an honour to hear Illumina represented in the Growing Future Assets Competition. Illumina’s culture builds on our commitment to innovation and to enabling a more sustainable and equitable future for all, and we are thrilled our story helped to inspire the next generation of Scottish female investment professionals. We look forward to seeing the contributions each of the participants will make toward improving our global community through finance, corporate responsibility, and beyond.”

Peter Gilchrist, head teacher, Auchinleck Academy, added: “At Auchinleck Academy we are so proud of our Business Girls who won the 2020 Growing Future Assets Competition. Well done to Abbie, Ailey, Alice, Eva and Katie who have worked brilliantly on this project from start to finish.”

Laua Fyfe, mentor for the Auchinleck Academy team, investment analyst at Stewart Investor, said: “I was hugely impressed with the girls’ work on making the case to invest in Illumina. Each of the girls worked immensely hard on their investment report and the initiative, professionalism, independence and critical thinking skills they displayed over the past few months has been incredibly inspiring.”

As a direct result of the success and level of high-quality entries this year,  Future Asset have confirmed that they will hold the second Growing Future Assets competition next year. More information on the 2021 event programme, will be available here in the coming months.

Future Asset believes that being female should never be seen as a barrier to progressing in a chosen career.  Their goal is to enable girls in the senior phase of high school to learn how investment can change the world for the better, gain valuable, transferable skills and consider the benefits of possible future careers.