24 ноября 2010 г.

Launch of the Global Investment Research Challenge for Universities

On Wednesday, the Russia Segment of the CFA Institute's Global Investment Research Challenge was launched at the main room of the PWC Training Center in Moscow. Eight leading local universities will participate in the worldwide contest between over 500 business schools.

On November 24, 2010, CFA Association (Russia) hosted the Kick-off event of the CFA Institute’s Global Investment Research Challenge, with the support of the Training Center of PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

Student teams from eight top Moscow Universities and Business schools met for the first time at Belaya Ploshad Business center near Belorusskaya station. The Kick-off event for the Russian segment of the CFA Institute's Global Investment Research Challenge program started at 6.30 p.m, and went on for almost three hours.

The program of the event was so intense and interesting that the teams decided to cancel the coffee break between sessions, to get the most of the speakers instead.

The Kick-off event was opened by a welcoming word from Vladimir Tutkevich, Executive Director of CFA Association (Russia), with an introduction to the competition, the CFA Institute’s activities in Russia, and a brief explanation of the rules of Global IRC.

Neil Withers, CFA, Board member of CFA Association (Russia) and Vice-Chairman of SilkRouteFinancial Merchant Banking firm, presented the CFA Institute’s Code of Ethics and the Standards of Professional Conduct. This is a key guideline to follow by all teams during preparation of final reports.

Next went the most intriguing and the most awaited part of the event – the Subject Company Presentation. CFA Association (Russia) announced that OAO NLMK, The Novolipetsk Steel Works (NLMK)  will be analyzed in student research as the subject company for the 2011 Global Investment Research Challenge in Russia. The subject company presentation was lead by Sergey Takhiev, Head of Investor Relations of the company.

After getting to know the subject company, student teams were provided with guidance on how to write investment reports, and what factors and information pieces must be taken into account by investment analysts. This key part of the meeting was lead by Alexey Debelov, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Third Rome Investment.

About the Global Investment Research Challenge

The CFA Institute launched the Competition only a few years ago, and this year, approximately 500 business schools and universities are participating worldwide. This year, Russia has joined the competition for the first time, with outstanding university participation. Dozens of business schools were considering participation, and eight teams were finally admitted to the contest:

• State University – Higher School of Economics
• Lomonosov Moscow State University
• Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics and Informatics
• Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology 
• New Economic School
• Plehanov Russian Economic University
• Perm State University
• Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation 

Local CFA societies host and launch an Investment Research Challenge in conjunction with the participating universities. The universities assemble teams of 3-5 business and finance students who work directly with a company in researching and preparing a company analysis.

The team’s final presentations are locally evaluated by high-profile panels of heads of research, portfolio managers, and chief investment officers from the world’s top firms.

The local champions advance to regional competitions in the Americas, Asia, and Europe and then to the global finale.

The CFA Institute Global Investment Research Challenge offers students the unique opportunity to learn from leading industry experts and compete with peers from the world’s top finance programs. This annual educational initiative promotes best practices in equity research among the next generation of analysts through hands-on mentoring and intensive training in company analysis and presentation skills.

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