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Emerging Talent · Next Generation Finance

Real experience. Real support. A real route into finance.

Emerging Talent gives high-potential individuals in-depth exposure to professional research, shadowing experienced analysts remotely, then supports them in securing roles across the finance industry.

  • FreeAlways, at every stage
  • RemoteFlexible, UK-wide
  • By inviteNo open applications
Sponsored byIC MarketsFSA Seychelles SD018TGR Haas F1 Team & BLAST partner
Our mission

Developing the UK's next generation of finance talent.

Breaking into finance too often depends on who you know. Talented people are overlooked because they lack experience, and they can't gain experience without being given a chance.

Next Generation Finance is our commitment to changing that: identifying high-potential individuals and giving them the depth of exposure, the body of work and the support they need to compete for roles in the industry.

The programme

Far more than work experience.

01

Learn from specialists

Shadow our analysts and see how professional research is produced, from first data to final publication.

02

Completely remote and flexible

Take part from anywhere in the UK, around your existing commitments.

03

Build real evidence

Develop a portfolio of research written under expert guidance.

04

Supported into work

We don't stop when the programme ends. We actively help you secure your next role.

Always freeCedarstone Research never charges participants. Emerging Talent is our investment in future talent, made possible by our sponsor, IC Markets.

By invitation

By invitation only.

We identify individuals with exceptional potential through our own channels and invite them to take part. There is no open application process.

What you'll be exposed to

Inside professional research.

Participants shadow our team across the full research process, including:

Macroeconomic analysis

Growth, inflation and how economists build a view

Central banks

How policy decisions are made, priced and communicated

FX market structure

How currency markets work and what drives them

Research writing

Turning analysis into clear, decision-ready research

Data analysis

Working with economic and market data

Hedging instruments

How forwards, options and hedging strategies are used in practice

Professional standards

Compliance, confidentiality and conduct in financial services

Industry platforms

Exposure to industry platforms.

By shadowing our analysts, participants see first-hand how professionals use the platforms found across banks, funds and research houses.

01

Bloomberg Terminal

Market data, news and analytics used across global finance

02

LSEG Workspace

Market data and news, formerly Refinitiv Eikon

03

Macrobond

Macroeconomic and financial time-series analysis

04

CME FedWatch

Market-implied expectations for US interest rates

05

Advanced Excel

Still the most widely used analytical tool in finance

06

Python

Data analysis and automation for research

07

Power BI

Data visualisation and reporting

Platform exposure is through shadowing. Direct access to licensed platforms is subject to each provider's licence terms.

Your research portfolio

A portfolio, not just a certificate.

Every participant builds a portfolio of research written under the guidance of our analysts: market notes, macro analysis and central bank previews.

Why it matters more than a certificate

It proves ability, not just knowledge.

A certificate shows you've learned something; a portfolio shows you can do the job.

It mirrors the real work.

Research analysts are hired to write research. Your portfolio shows you already can.

It gives interviewers something real to discuss.

You walk into interviews with work to talk through, not just a list of qualifications.

It shows how you think.

Employers see your judgement, structure and clarity, the qualities hardest to assess from a CV.

It sets you apart.

Few candidates at your stage can show professional-standard work.

Portfolio work is produced for participants' own development and is not published or used commercially by Cedarstone Research.

Your reference

A reference you can rely on.

On completion, participants receive a Cedarstone Research reference covering their attendance, their performance and the work they produced, which they can add to their CV.

Support into employment

We help you take the next step.

  • CV and portfolio review
  • Interview preparation, including technical and case-study practice
  • Introductions to firms across our industry network, only ever with your consent
  • Ongoing support after the programme while you search for your role
Our industry network

Where it can lead.

Through our network, we work closely with firms across the finance industry. The experience and skills built on the programme transfer directly to roles across it.

Roles across the industry

Research & StrategyTrading & ExecutionSales & Client CoverageRisk ManagementQuant & DataTreasury & FP&ACorporate Finance & M&AOperations & Compliance

Firms across our network

SectorExamples
Sell-sideInvestment banks, brokers
Buy-sideHedge funds (macro, FX, multi-strategy), asset managers and mutual funds, pension funds, private equity
Wealth managementPrivate banks, wealth managers, family offices
Market infrastructure & fintechFX brokers, liquidity providers, exchanges, payments and FX specialists
Corporate financeCorporate treasury and FP&A teams, advisory and transaction services
Alumni outcomes
~£45,000

Typical starting salary for alumni who have secured roles through our network

Based on Cedarstone Research's records of alumni hires in 2026. Individual outcomes vary, and taking part in the programme does not guarantee employment or any level of salary.

Alumni stories

In their own words.

Tap a photo or swipe the story.

01/ 03
Mehtab Kaur
Mehtab KaurCredit Portfolio Analyst, MUFG EMEA · HybridLinkedIn profile
Now atMUFG
  • No. 1 financial group in Japan
  • 150,000+ employees
  • 40+ countries
  • 360+ years of history
Alumna · Cohort 2026
I have a degree in art and film, and I was applying for roles every day with nothing to show for it. Online certificates didn’t help, because millions of people have the same ones. Emerging Talent gave me something they don’t: real research, written alongside professional analysts. That’s what got me through the door.
  1. BeforeBA, Art & Film
  2. Emerging TalentCohort 2026
  3. First roleInvestment Analyst, Cedarstone Research
  4. NowCredit Portfolio Analyst, MUFG
Investing in exceptional talent

Investing in exceptional talent.

For participants who stand out, we may go further, including sponsoring professional qualifications such as CFA or CISI, providing access to research tools, or offering development budgets for further training.

These are awarded at our discretion.

Transparency

Our commitments to you.

Always free

We never charge participants, at any stage.

Your consent first

We only share your details with a prospective employer with your explicit permission.

Open about how we're funded

When a participant is hired by a firm in our network, that firm may pay Cedarstone Research a fee. The programme itself is sponsored by IC Markets. Neither affects your salary, and you never pay anything.

Honest references

Our references reflect your actual attendance, performance and work.

FAQs

Common questions.

How do I join Emerging Talent?

The programme is by invitation only. We identify high-potential individuals through our own channels.

Does it cost anything?

No. The programme is completely free, and we never charge participants.

Who sponsors the programme?

Emerging Talent is sponsored by IC Markets, a global FX and CFD broker licensed by the Financial Services Authority of Seychelles (licence SD018). Their funding keeps the programme free.

Is it remote?

Yes. The programme is fully remote and flexible, so you can take part around your existing commitments.

Will I be guaranteed a job?

No. We actively support participants in securing roles, including introductions across our network, but we can't guarantee employment.

What will I have at the end?

A portfolio of research, a Cedarstone Research reference, and ongoing support in your job search.

Where can I find full programme details?

Invited participants receive our programme guide, which covers structure and expectations in full.