Queen Mary Accountancy Student, Aaron Michael, Shortlisted for Prestigious Black Talent Awards
BSc Accountancy (Flying Start) student Aaron Michael has been named a finalist for the Black Talent Awards 2025 Rising Star of the Year Award - a national recognition celebrating outstanding Black professionals and students across the UK.
Hosted by the Black Talent Charter, the Black Talent Awards spotlight individuals who are making a meaningful impact in business, innovation, and wider society. Aaron’s shortlisting recognises both his early entrepreneurial success and his forward-thinking approach to the future of financial services.
Before joining university, Aaron built and scaled an international e-commerce business operating across three regions - a bold achievement that exemplifies his drive to challenge conventional paths. Now studying on PwC’s prestigious Flying Start programme at Queen Mary University of London, Aaron combines rigorous academic learning with hands-on experience through professional placements in Banking & Capital Markets.
Speaking about the recognition, Aaron said:
“Being shortlisted for the Black Talent Awards Rising Star of the Year feels like validation of an unconventional path. From building an international e-commerce company across three regions before university to now studying through PwC’s prestigious Flying Start programme with placements in Banking & Capital Markets, I’ve always believed in taking calculated risks and thinking differently about traditional industries.
This recognition isn’t just about past achievements - it’s acknowledgment that my vision for solving infrastructure challenges in private capital has real potential. It motivates me to keep pushing toward my ultimate goal of founding a data-driven private equity firm, knowing that others see the value in bridging entrepreneurship with financial services innovation.”
The School of Business and Management congratulates Aaron on this exceptional achievement and looks forward to following his continued journey at the intersection of entrepreneurship and finance.
The Black Talent Awards ceremony will take place later this year.
Find out more about the BSc Accountancy (Flying Start) programme at Queen Mary.