Wednesday March 25th 2026
Midlothian Provost Debbi McCall alongside the winning students (credit: GB Photography)
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Midlothian schoolgirls celebrate success after local pupils from Lasswade High School and Penicuik High School secured the top two awards at a prestigious national investment competition.
A team of four Lasswade schoolgirls were crowned Senior Category Winners of the Growing Future Assets Investment Competition, a national programme designed to inspire young women to pursue careers in investment management.
The winning S5 team, Khadijah Imran, Stephanie Dagher, Aisla Dolan and Maria Mackenzie, worked under the guidance of their teacher, Kelly Smith, and their dedicated Competition Coach, Richard Barry from Walter Scott.
Their well‑researched pitch on industrial gas company Linde impressed judges with its professionalism and creativity. The team even took to the stage wearing personalised lab coats featuring the Lasswade school badge and Future Asset slogan #IAmAnAsset. The successful team won £1000 for their school as part of their prize.
Team member Stephanie reflected on her experience, saying:
“It was an honour to take part in such an incredible opportunity like Future Asset. The skills and teamwork the competition taught us will stick with us forever, as will the unforgettable memories we created, which have brought us all so much closer together.”
Midlothian’s success didn’t end there. Penicuik High School secured the Runner Up position in the same category, with pupils Gemma Blyth, Freya Collett, Eleanor Neill, Mylah Pender, Amy Ward and Amy Yule taking second place in the national finals.
Midlothian Provost Debbi McCall attended the awards ceremony to celebrate the achievements of both teams and to recognise the growing financial talent emerging from Midlothian’s young people.
This year’s competition forms part of Future Asset’s wider mission to transform Scotland’s financial sector by encouraging more young women to consider careers in investment and addressing the gender imbalance within the industry.
The 2025/26 competition saw 47 finalists aged 14–18, representing eight schools, selected from 159 entries and more than 900 participants across Scotland. Judges included senior leaders from the investment industry, such as Mandy Rawlinson, Head of UK and EMEA at Aberdeen Investments, and Sally Greig, Head of Global Bonds and Chief of Investment Staff for Multi Asset and Fixed Income at Baillie Gifford.
Future Asset’s reach continues to grow rapidly. Since 2020, the programme has expanded from 13 participating schools to 100, with more than 3,500 students taking part and investment professionals from over 50 firms volunteering as coaches and judges.
Over a 10‑week period, students developed their investment cases with support from their assigned industry coach and were offered opportunities to visit leading firms including Aegon Asset Management, Baillie Gifford and BlackRock.
Earlier this month, the winning Lasswade team had the opportunity to meet Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes at the AccelerateHER Female Founders Showcase, as part of their ongoing involvement with Future Asset.
Kelly Smith, Business Teacher at Lasswade High School said:
“We are incredibly proud of our Senior Phase S5 Girls for their outstanding achievement in winning the Future Asset competition. Their success reflects not only their hard work and ambition, but also the valuable skills they’ve developed in teamwork, communication and financial understanding.
Opportunities from Future Asset open meaningful pathways for our young people, inspiring confidence and raising aspirations for their future careers. Big thanks to Future Assets for providing this invaluable experience for our pupils and pupils across the country.”
Future Asset Chair Jen Mair praised the students’ achievements, saying:
“By supporting these talented students, we’re actively working to create a more dynamic and inclusive industry. Our goal is to ensure no girl believes being female is a barrier to her career ambitions.”
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