The ceremony of the fourth edition of the ‘BNP Paribas Merit Award in Introduction to Mathematical Finance’ took place on 8 July. This award was established in 2020 and recognises annually the best student in this curricular unit of the Department of Mathematics.
The winner of this edition was Guilherme Oliveira Dias, who received a cash prize of €1,800. “It’s great to see our work recognised. I am truly grateful for this opportunity”, said the student.
The event was attended by Pedro Amaral, Vice President of Técnico for Corporate Interface, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, who recalled the moment when BNP Paribas joined the Técnico Partner Network during the pandemic. He emphasised the significance of this commitment during such a challenging time, stating, “I have a lot of affection for the companies that trusted us in that context”. He also praised the Department of Mathematics, noting that it has proven to be a “hub of technology and development”.
Francisco de Almeida e Silva from Sales Trading represented BNP Paribas and highlighted the importance of talent at Portuguese universities, emphasising Técnico’s role as a strategic partner. “The BNP Paribas Group has been investing in Portugal, and this is made possible by the quality of our engineers and mathematicians”, he stated, adding that “Técnico provides exactly the profiles we need to create a new concept of integration between technology and the financial industry”.
The ceremony also included a testimonial from Vicente Lourenço, a Técnico alumnus currently working at BNP Paribas. He shared that he first learned about the company through initiatives promoted at Técnico. “As engineers, we have a very strong mathematical foundation. We just need to learn how to apply it to the challenges of the financial markets”, he explained.
As part of this award, the Department of Mathematics received a donation of €1,200, reinforcing the initiative’s commitment to promoting education. Carlos Caleiro, vice-head of the Department of Mathematics, stressed the importance of recognising academic merit. “More than a medal, this award is a step towards a successful future”, he said.
Cláudia Philippart, a professor at the Department of Mathematics, congratulated the award-winning student and thanked BNP Paribas for its continued support. “I felt truly at home in the BNP Paribas offices, where I met so many Técnico alumni”, she said, highlighting the growing proximity between the School and the financial sector.
The BNP Paribas Merit Award had previously recognised the academic performance of Daniel Carvalho in 2024, Cristiano Mendonça in 2023, and Armando Sobrinho Assembleia in 2021.
