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Goldman Sachs just promoted a 22 year-old trader to VP

It's not always easy to get promoted at an investment bank. Just because you make associate, you can't presume you'll make vice president or beyond. Plenty of people get stuck. But not Wajih Ahmed.  Ahmed is Goldman's London-based trading star. He's only 22 and he keeps getting bumped-up.

We've written about Ahmed before. He's the former child prodigy who scored 99% in his mathematics A level aged 10, and 97% in further mathematics A level aged 11. Aged 13, he got an A in his chemistry A level. Aged 14, he got an A* at physics. Ahmed began studying economics at Southampton University aged 14, and aged only 17 was the university's youngest ever graduate, with a first class degree and an 86% overall pass rate. He then completed a masters in finance at the London School of Economics, all before his 18th birthday.

Ahmed joined Goldman as an analyst on the inflation trading desk in 2016 after graduating from the LSE. During his GS internship he famously completed a project that was supposed to take a week in two hours. He was promoted to associate two years later, and he's just been made VP again on the same desk. 

It's conceivable that Ahmed could make MD by the time he's 25. It wouldn't be the first time: macro trader Kunal Shah joined the firm aged 21 and became partner aged 27. 

Have a confidential story, tip, or comment you’d like to share? Contact: sbutcher@efinancialcareers.com in the first instance. Whatsapp/Signal/Telegram also available.

Bear with us if you leave a comment at the bottom of this article: all our comments are moderated by human beings. Sometimes these humans might be asleep, or away from their desks, so it may take a while for your comment to appear. Eventually it will – unless it’s offensive or libelous (in which case it won’t.)

Photo by Cláudio Luiz Castro on Unsplash

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AUTHORSarah Butcher Global Editor
  • Mu
    Muse
    29 July 2021

    I sense jealousy from the comments down below! Feeling a bit disgusted as well...

  • St
    Strait Arrow
    12 December 2020

    I witnessed a young mathematics prodigy rise up the corporate ladder in 3 years with phenomenal trading profits from derivatives . Then the 1987 crash occured and in one day he destroyed an investment bank , a bank and their clients . The central bank was called in as lender of last resort. He was never heard of again. History often repeats itself.

  • Fo
    Former GS trader
    12 December 2020

    During his internship on my desk at GS back in 2006. He rocked up 3 hours late because he overslept. I knew he was destined for greatness

  • gu
    guest
    11 December 2020

    Funny how this person seems to be excelling in an industry that supposedly discriminates against minorities.

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