Young Economist of the Year 2025
sponsored by KPMG UK and FT Schools
A huge thank you to everyone who entered the Young Economist of the Year competition 2025! We were blown away by the quality and creativity of this year's submissions.
The five amazing finalists presented at an in-person final event at KPMG offices in October and were assessed by a panel of esteemed judges. The finalists were also offered the amazing opportunity to tour HM Treasury and Number 10 and 11 Downing Street!
This year, the judges could not choose a single winner and had to call a tie! Our worthy joint winners for 2025 are The King’s Economists (Sen Patel, George Champion, Lucas Day, Deni Darenberg and Joseph Brannigan), and Ishwa Nawaz.
Listed below are the finalists and 'commended entries' that particularly impressed our panel of judges.
Furthermore, we are delighted to announce the winner of our "Welsh Award", in partnership with the Welsh government (see below).
Congratulations to you all!
FINALISTS
Name | School | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Hardik Ingale | Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School | How can economics explain the high price of a supercar? |
"The King’s Economists”:
- Sen Patel
- George Champion
- Lucas Day
- Deni Darenberg
- Joseph Brannigan
| King’s College School | Will aviation expansion allow the UK to achieve economic growth and meet climate commitments simultaneously? |
Amber Sarwar | Aquinas College | What are the economic effects of tariffs for consumers, businesses and global economies? |
Nathan d’Almeida | Stafford Grammar School | What are the drivers of wealth inequality in the UK and how can they be addressed? |
Ishwa Nawaz | Dartford Grammar School for Girls | What are the economic consequences of a falling birth rate and what approaches can be taken to mitigate these? |
WELSH AWARD
We are delighted to partner once again with the Welsh government to offer our "Welsh Award", recognising a particularly brilliant entry from a student from Wales. This year this prestigious award goes to Cole Brydson from Gower College, Swansea. His submission addressed the question “What are the drivers of wealth inequality in the UK and how can they be addressed?”
Cole will be offered the opportunity to tour the Welsh Treasury in recognition of his excellent work.
COMMENDED ENTRIES
Name(s) | School | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Ishwa Nawaz | Dartford Grammar School for Girls | What are the economic consequences of a falling birth rate, and what approaches can be taken to mitigate these? |
Steven Park | Whitgift School | What are the economic consequences of a falling birth rate, and what approaches can be taken to mitigate these? |
Reha Kumar | Nonsuch High School For Girls | What are the economic consequences of a falling birth rate, and what approaches can be taken to mitigate these? |
Karyn Brocklehurst | Loughborough High School | What are the economic consequences of a falling birth rate, and what approaches can be taken to mitigate these? |
"S&P": Pranavi Atri & Sam Hatcher | Nonsuch High School For Girls | What are the economic consequences of a falling birth rate, and what approaches can be taken to mitigate these? |
Nathan d'Almeida | Stafford Grammar School | What are the drivers of wealth inequality in the UK and how can they be addressed? |
Olivia Studholme | St Catherine's School, Bramley | What are the drivers of wealth inequality in the UK and how can they be addressed? |
Imani Soren - Fahy | Clitheroe Royal Grammar School | What are the drivers of wealth inequality in the UK and how can they be addressed? |
Anirudh Adhikari | Wallington County Grammar School | What are the drivers of wealth inequality in the UK and how can they be addressed? |
Denitsa Dimitrova | King's College London Mathematics School | What are the drivers of wealth inequality in the UK and how can they be addressed? |
Awaiting approval to share | Wycombe Abbey | What are the drivers of wealth inequality in the UK and how can they be addressed? |
Eric Pan | Harrow School | What are the drivers of wealth inequality in the UK and how can they be addressed? |
Amber Sarwar | Aquinas College | What are the economic effects of tariffs for consumers, businesses and global economies? |
"Tariffic thinkers": Callum Hector, Oscar Smith & Sam Francombe | St Paul’s School | What are the economic effects of tariffs for consumers, businesses and global economies? |
Rayaan Raza | Hampton School | What are the economic effects of tariffs for consumers, businesses and global economies? |
Awaiting approval to share | Copleston Sixth Form | What are the economic effects of tariffs for consumers, businesses and global economies? |
"Freakonomists": Cheney Sun & Emmanuel Barouch Brett | Uppingham School | What are the economic effects of tariffs for consumers, businesses and global economies? |
"JSRS": Joseph McDiarmid, Ryan Yap, Selassie Sena-Cofie & Stepan Volkozub | Wallington County Grammar School | What are the economic effects of tariffs for consumers, businesses and global economies? |
Dylan Shanahan | Cheadle Hulme School | Will aviation expansion allow the UK to achieve economic growth and meet climate commitments simultaneously? |
"The King's Economists": Sen Patel, George Champion, Lucas Day, Deni Darenberg & Joseph Brannigan | King's College School, Wimbledon | Will aviation expansion allow the UK to achieve economic growth and meet climate commitments simultaneously? |
Tsz Ching Lo (Angie) | Cardiff Sixth Form College | Will aviation expansion allow the UK to achieve economic growth and meet climate commitments simultaneously? |
Calam Singh Virk Tamana | Winchester College | Will aviation expansion allow the UK to achieve economic growth and meet climate commitments simultaneously? |
Lili O’Shea | St David’s Catholic Sixth Form College | Will aviation expansion allow the UK to achieve economic growth and meet climate commitments simultaneously? |
"Aviation": Milli Gleadhall-Romanach, Eve McAnea, Isabella Whitehouse & Harriet Ibbotson | Sheffield High School for Girls | Will aviation expansion allow the UK to achieve economic growth and meet climate commitments simultaneously? |
Seth Gidley | St Dunstan's College | Will aviation expansion allow the UK to achieve economic growth and meet climate commitments simultaneously? |
Hardik Ingale | Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School | How can economics explain the high price of a supercar? |
Nate Varga von Kibed | Westminster School | How can economics explain the high price of a supercar? |
Awaiting approval to share | Shrewsbury School | How can economics explain the high price of a supercar? |
"Keeping Up With The Keynesians": Oliver Hewes, James Grubb, Angela Cao, Shikemi Ganiyu & Beany Yue | Abingdon School/St Helen’s & St Katherine’s | How can economics explain the high price of a supercar? |
Moahnishan Wignakumar | Westminster School | How can economics explain the high price of a supercar? |
Kerry Zhang | Harrow School | How can economics explain the high price of a supercar? |
What happens next?
The 5 shortlisted entries will be invited to an in-person final event to be held at KPMG offices on 7 October 2025.
The in-person final will involve the 5 entries giving a 10 minute presentation followed by 5 minutes of questions from an expert panel before a winner is announced.
The winning entry will be featured in the Financial Times.