The Kilt Challenge, an annual fundraiser for the Futures for Kids (FFK) charity held in conjunction with FIA's IDX Gala, raised £89,067 this year.
The fundraising effort was led by Mark Bortnik, chair of FIA's Europe Regional Advisory Board, who completed the Three Peaks Challenge on 16 May alongside 19 industry leaders and FIA members. The group climbed Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon within 24 hours to raise funds for children and young people supported by FFK.
The total raised through the IDX Gala and Kilt Challenge reached £117,423. Held at Old Billingsgate in London on 17 June, the black-tie event marked the close of FIA's International Derivatives Expo. Funds were generated through the Kilt Challenge, as well as the evening raffle, live and silent auctions, and Gift Aid contributions.
The Kilt Challenge has become a longstanding fixture of the IDX Gala. Initiated in 2010 by former Financial Times journalist Jeremy Grant, the fundraiser began when Grant donned a kilt to raise money for charity before passing the sporran to the next challenger.
The tradition has continued ever since, with past participants including Clive Furness, Pat Kenny, Kim Taylor, Mark Ibbotson, Robbert Booij and Rama Pillai. Last year's challenge was led by Goldman Sachs' Alicia Crighton and ICE's Chris Edmonds, who raised a record £175,616 for FFK.
During the gala, FIA announced the next participants in the Kilt Challenge. David Martin, group chief executive of GH Financials, and Julie Winkler, chief commercial officer at CME Group, will take on the challenge for 2027 and lead fundraising efforts ahead of next year's gala.
Accepting the challenge, Martin said he was "deeply honoured" to take part and was "overcome with pride" to be selected.
"Julie and I are really looking forward to taking on this challenge," he said. "We'll try and be creative and give it a good nudge."
Improving opportunities
Since its launch in 2008, FFK has supported charities working to improve opportunities for disadvantaged and under-represented children and young people around the world. The charities currently supported by FFK include EducAid, Kids in Kathmandu, Leadership through Sport and Business (LTSB), Passerelles Numériques and WeSeeHope.
FFK's support has helped fund projects ranging from school improvements and technology investments in Nepal to educational programmes in Sierra Leone. Through its partnership with Kids in Kathmandu, FFK has supported the development of IT departments, science laboratories, library facilities and classroom infrastructure across multiple schools.
Funding provided to EducAid during the COVID-19 pandemic helped the charity share lessons learned during the Ebola crisis and support radio-based learning programmes that reached more than 1.4 million children in Sierra Leone.
The IDX Gala and Kilt Challenge remain the charity's largest annual fundraising initiatives. Together, they highlight the strength of the derivatives community’s commitment to giving back. From long-distance cycling to this year’s Three Peaks Challenge, the Kilt Challenge continues to evolve, with each cohort raising the bar to support young people through education and opportunity.
