The Economists' Society: Director of External Relations

As a current First Year Representative for the Economists' Society within the External Relations division, I believe I am a strong candidate for Director of External Relations. Over the past year, I have gained first-hand experience working with sponsors and seeing how external partnerships directly shape the events and opportunities we’re able to offer. Being part of this team has shown me how much potential there is to grow even further.

If elected, one of my main priorities would be to bring in a wider variety of guest speakers from different areas of economics; including finance, public policy, consulting, and emerging fields. I want our members to hear from professionals with diverse experiences so everyone can find something that genuinely interests and inspires them.

I also plan to increase financial support for the society by strengthening relationships with our current sponsors while actively reaching out to new ones. By building stronger, more personal connections with firms, I can secure long-term partnerships that translate into better events, more networking opportunities, and greater career support for members.

Most importantly, I want every member to feel the real benefits of stronger external relations, either through engaging speakers, valuable connections, or closer connections with firms that want to connect with our students. I would be proud to take on this role and help our society continue to grow and thrive.

I am standing for Head of External Relations because I want to play a more strategic role in shaping how the Economists' Society positions itself beyond UCL. While my role as First Year Representative for Academic Events focused on the academic aspect of the society rather than direct external outreach, it gave me insight into how much strong external relationships matter to the success and credibility of our events. My time as a First Year Representative allowed me to develop skill such as professionalism, organisation, and clear communication, essential in managing partnerships. Beyond this, my experience in research has strengthened my ability to represent institutions thoughtfully and engage external audiences with clarity and confidence. I am standing because I am ready to take on greater responsibility: proactively building relationships with firms, think tanks, alumni, and academics, and expanding sponsorship and collaboration opportunities.

My name is Friedrich, and I am a first-year Economics student. I am originally from Germany, but spent two years at boarding school in the UK before coming to UCL. This year, I have been involved in the Economists’ Society as a First Year Representative in the External Relations Division, and am now running for ER Division Leader.

As FYR, I have helped plan society events like the upcoming sponsor event, and reached out to firms for sponsorship. This has given me a strong understanding of how the society operates and the importance of effective external engagement. My previous experiences as Deputy Head of House and Editor-in-Chief of my school’s economics magazine, alongside a private equity internship involving extensive cold outreach, have equipped me with the organisational, communication, and leadership skills needed for this role. If elected, I aim to deliver events that students genuinely want to attend by introducing regular member feedback through short censuses. I also plan to collaborate more closely with other finance and economics societies at UCL and other universities to run joint events, broaden perspectives, and increase engagement. Additionally, I am fortunate to have good industry connections, allowing me to secure guest speakers and networking opportunities.

I am highly motivated to be a part of a social and engaging year for the society, while also developing my own skills through collaboration with the committee. Thank you for your consideration!