Kasper Vinther Olesen, this year’s MSc graduate in Economics and Management, is presented with the SEB Award 2012 by Mark Luscombe from SEB, which has also sponsored the award.

On Saturday 29 September, the Oecon Association elected this year's MSc graduate in Economics and Management from Aarhus University. The DKK 15,000 award was presented to Kasper Vinther Olesen, who has received the award for his great academic and social commitment to the studies.

- It is a great personal honour to win this award and to obtain such recognition from an alumni association with so much substance, says Kasper Vinther Olesen and continues:

- I think it is important to have a realistic understanding of how to utilize the great academic skills we acquire through our studies. That is why I have chosen to commit myself to both the studies and the student associations.

Kasper Vinther Olsen earned his MSc degree in Economics and Management in 2011 and is now writing his PhD in the field of energy at the Department of Economics and Business. Apart from this he is working for CREATES – Center for Research in Econometric Analysis of Time Series. He got the idea for his PhD in connection with a student job at an energy company.

Goal-oriented work for students
Morten Amtrup, MSc in Economics, director and founder of the Oecon Award, is chairman of the assessment committee responsible for electing the winner among this year's candidates. He emphasizes the following achievements, which have influenced the nomination:

- In addition to his academic skills, Kasper distinguishes himself by his strong, personal characteristics. Many people have the ability to initiate projects, but Kasper's organizational talent also enables him to lead a project, which means that Kasper has the whole package.

Kasper Vinther Olesen has taught on a regular basis during his studies and has acted as tutor twice. In addition, he has co-founded two student associations: 

1) Finance and Consulting Club Aarhus (numbers nearly 500 members and more than 20 partnerships with companies. Works to improve the link between MSc students in Economics and Management and the business community) 

2) Aarhus Symposium (an annual symposium, held for the second time on 2 November 2012)

SEB Award presented at Oecon Conference 2012
The SEB Award is presented to the MSc graduate in Economics and Management of the year at the Oecon Conference, which gathers alumni of economics at Aarhus University every year in September.

The award was formerly a private sponsorship, but for the second straight year it has been sponsored by SEB.

- We sponsor the award because we feel that it is important to raise our profile when it comes to MSc students in Economics and Management, since many of them will be entering the business community upon graduation, says Mark Luscombe from SEB.

FACTS
This year's topic at the Oecon Conference was Globalisation and Growth. The keynote speakers were all MSc graduates in Economics and Management; researchers from the department and members of staff in both the public and private sectors.

The Oecon Association works to create a professional and social network for MSc graduates in Economics and Management across graduation year and lines of business, enabling them to keep in touch with the department. The Oecon Conference is professionally relevant to MSc graduates in Economics and Management, but is held in informal and social settings. The event culminates in the election of the MSc graduate in Economics and Management of the year and a subsequent banquet. 

Further information

Kasper Vinther Olesen
Winner of the SEB Award 2012
Tel.: (+45) 22 81 99 19

Morten Amtrup
Board Member of the Oecon Association, Aarhus University
Tel.: (+45) 30 23 94 67
E-mail: amtrup@post.tele.dk