Talent Program: graduation 2026

Two years of firsts: reflections from an elea Talent Program graduate

Do you ever stop and ask yourself: how much have I actually grown over the past two years?

Sophia Gampp, who joined the elea Talent Program in 2024 and graduated in September, shares her reflections on the program:

Looking back, entering a new work environment as a career starter is tough, especially in a role as varied and demanding as this one. My work consists of so many different aspects: the investment work, which is intense and requires a whole range of skills, the interactions with the entrepreneurs, the first presentations in front of the Investment Committee, the encounters with our philanthropic investors, and travelling to new countries (including Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria).

So many firsts, and not always time to catch my breath. The elea Talent Program is deliberately set up for two years, to give associates the time and space to explore elea’s work and find their individual place within the company. Slowly I started getting into the flow and realized which areas I still had gaps in, what I enjoyed most, and where I wanted to focus. But between the deals, the deadlines, and the constant learning, I rarely got the chance to sit down and reflect on that personal growth.

This is why the graduation ceremony is so valuable. Beyond the meaningful and fun evening where we spend time together with the entire team and deepen our connections, it is dedicated time and space for exactly that: reflecting on how far you have come, before looking ahead to what comes next.

We congratulate Sophia and her fellow graduates Chloé Morenne, Pascale Tobler-Ornik, and Leonard Wachter on completing the program and on their promotion to Senior Associate.

Our team looks forward to welcoming the next generation of impact investing talent in January, when the new cohort starts in Johannesburg.