On March 6, Kings College London hosted the final round of the Net Zero Investment Challenge, a unique asset management competition designed to integrate sustainability into investment decision-making. This exciting challenge brought together some of the brightest student minds from across the UK - including London School of Economics (LSE), Kings College London (KCL), Warwick, and Oxford - to craft investment strategies that balance financial returns with climate-conscious decision-making. The grand prize? A chance to pitch to industry leaders in London, a £500 cash reward, and an analyst position at Blackelm Equity, a student-run fund managing £250K in assets!
Meet the Winning Teams
After a highly competitive final, two teams from the University of Oxford claimed first and second prize.
First Prize: Team GreenLight took home first place! A huge congratulations to Keeren Setokusumo, Joshua Miller, Phuong Nguyen, Shola Adesina, and Diana Alimzhan for their outstanding work and well-deserved victory.
Second Prize: Team OXSI - Laurena Hellel, Twisha Khandelwal, and Holly Vasey - claimed second place, also gaining recognition with a best presentation award. Fantastic job, team!
Reflections from Team GreenLight
Diana Alimzhan, a third year visiting student in Economics & Management (E&M), shared her appreciation for the OSFSS team:
“First of all, we’d like to thank the OSFSS team for bringing this competition to Oxford! It was such an honor for us to participate.”
In particular, Lucy Chen, an OSFSS Events Coordinator studying a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, did a fantastic job coordinating the multi-week investment challenge for Oxford's nine participating teams. OSFSS Events VP Brendon Mahere and President Charlotte Wargniez also played significant roles in supporting the Challenge from start to finish.
Joshua Miller reflected on the journey of Team GreenLight:
“Being part of the Net Zero Investment Challenge and representing the University of Oxford at the national final was a fantastic experience! As Team GreenLight, we analysed the forces currently shaping global markets, including climate risks, AI-growth premiums, and geopolitical tensions, before crafting an investment strategy with impact. Balancing sustainability and financial returns, we built a portfolio that reflected our values of responsible investing whilst capturing growth opportunities on a 12-month horizon. Taking part in the challenge helped build our investing toolkit whilst sharpening our perspective on sustainable finance. It was a pleasure meeting other teams from across the UK and watching their impressive pitches at the finals. Taking home 1st place was a real surprise but a rewarding way to close off our experience in the challenge!”
The Journey to Victory
Over the past month, Team GreenLight met weekly to analyze market trends, delegate tasks, and refine their strategy through constructive feedback. Their collaborative approach and commitment to responsible investing played a crucial role in their success.
Reflecting on the broader impact of the challenge, Diana added:
“This experience has greatly increased my interest in ESG and impact investing. It showed how crucial it is to pay special attention to all three aspects of a firm in addition to financial performance. I truly believe that there’ll be a time when ESG principles will guide most commercial decision-making, as it continues growing in demand in response to rising climate change, following socioeconomic and political challenges all over the world.”
Looking Ahead 🌍
The Net Zero Investment Challenge was not just about winning but about fostering a new generation of investors who understand the importance of sustainable finance. With climate concerns reshaping global markets, initiatives like this provide students with hands-on experience in responsible investing.
A huge thank you to all participants, organizers, and judges for making this event a success. We look forward to seeing how Team GreenLight and all competitors continue to drive impact in the sustainable finance space!
Stay tuned for more exciting opportunities from OSFSS. Until then, keep innovating, investing, and pushing the boundaries of sustainable finance!
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