The Worshipful Company of International Bankers
The Schools Essay Competition Alex Rottenburg reports on the Awards Ceremony Approximately 100 pupils, parents, and teachers from sixteen schools (from the less affluent boroughs around the City), plus various members of the Company, assembled at ING’s London HQ for the WCIB’s Essay Competition prize-giving (subject – “Did London benefit overall by hosting the Olympic Games costing over £9bn?”). We enjoyed an excellent, not to say inspirational, introductory speech from Gerald Walker, ING’s CEO of Commercial Banking, UK, Ireland & Middle East: he made the point that having a privileged background or a private education (he had neither) were not prerequisites for a good banking career, but hard work was! The prizes were presented by the Master, the whole process ably orchestrated by Tony Rhodes and Jean Stevenson, with the Clerk in watchful attendance.
The overall winner was Ellie Chapman, a remarkably poised 16 year old from The Charter School currently studying Spanish, Economics, Maths, and History, and planning to read Economics and a language when she goes to university, which university she is not yet sure of but it will be one of the Russell Group! Her essay, which answers the question in the affirmative, is not only very well written but also demonstrates an able use of different research sources. Talking to various pupils, parents, and teachers whilst consuming the very good nibbles and drinks provided by ING after the ceremony, it was evident that all those taking part had not only found the whole thing to be great fun but were very proud to be there that evening. Your roving scribe met some impressively confident youngsters who managed to be calmly assured without demonstrating the slightest hint of arrogance, and was told by all that the competition had not only been enjoyable but inspirational and aspirational as well!
The Mansion House Scholarship Scheme Liveryman and Company Founder James Tree
Company invites each of the scholars to attend the Annual Banquet and five of this year’s scholars were present at the banquet at Guildhall in February.
The Scheme exists to fund scholarships for students and young business executives from overseas to travel to the United Kingdom to study or to undertake training or work experience in the financial services sector. It was established by a previous Lord Mayor in 1998 and is funded primarily through donations by City Livery Companies – over sixty of whom now support it, many on an annual basis.
Some one hundred and twelve scholarships have now been awarded by successive Lord Mayors, with recipients selected from The photograph shows, from left to right, Alper Darendeli (Turkey), Azat forty-eight countries. The Abdibekov (Kazakhstan), The Lord Mayor – Alderman Roger Gifford, The selection is in the personal Master – Mark Garvin, Ivan Prieto (Colombia), Liber Jaime (Mexico), Justin Keh (Singapore) gift of the Lord Mayor and this year Lord Mayor Roger Gifford hopes to appoint up to ten scholars from some of the countries The Company is a strong supporter of the Scheme which he is to visit. Whilst most scholars study for and makes an annual donation. The Company Masters degrees at UK Universities, some attend also appoints Liverymen to be mentors to each of training course or undertake internships with firms the scholars for his or her time in the UK, offering based within the City of London. friendship and professional advice. In addition, the
16