Student Team from Northern Illinois University Named Global Champions in CFA Institute Research Challenge 2022
A student team of future investment management professionals from Northern Illinois University has been named Global Champions at the 16th annual CFA Institute Research Challenge. The global final, held virtually and aired to an international audience during Alpha Summit GLOBAL, brought together student teams representing the Americas, Asia Pacific, and the Europe, Middle East, and Africa regions to compete for the top prize.
Working in teams, CFA Institute Research Challenge participants are judged on their ability to analyze and value a listed stock, write a research report, and present their buy, hold, or sell recommendation to a panel of distinguished judges drawn from leading investment industry organizations. Teams are required to consider environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in their investment analysis and can access real-world financial data through Refinitiv Workspace.
The Research Challenge provides students with real-world financial analysis experience, hands-on mentoring from university faculty leaders, and intensive training from investment professionals.
Marg Franklin, CFA, President and CEO, CFA Institute comments:
“The Research Challenge is one of our most enjoyable highlights in the global CFA Institute calendar. The experience brings out the very best in the students who take part, who showcase their talents for investment analysis, communication, and teamwork on an international stage. The competition demands focus and determination, but the rewards in confidence- and network-building are immeasurable. My warm congratulations to this year’s winners and all finalists on their outstanding achievements.”
The winning team from Northern Illinois University comprised three students who are Nolan O’Rear, Nicholas Stone, and Paula Veyhle. The team were supported throughout the competition by their faculty adviser Gina Nicolos, and industry mentor Ian Long, CFA. The team secured their win as a result of their presentation and buy recommendation for Motorola Solutions, to a panel of judges drawn from the investment industry, who were:
- Joelle Harb, CFA, Senior Investment Manager, OCTO Asset Management and Board Member, CFA Society France
- Jaime Lazaro, CFA, CEO BBVA Asset Management Mexico and President, CFA Society Mexico
- Cheryl Lee, CFA, Head of Asia, Teoh Capital
- Richard Segarra, CFA, Director of Research, Ford Equity Research, London Stock Exchange Group
- Mark Temnikov, CFA, Portfolio Manager and Financial Analyst, AntonRâ Partners
More than 6,400 students from 1,100 universities representing 91 markets participated in the CFA Institute Research Challenge 2022. The global final runners-up—already champions in their respective regions— are teams from:
- IE Business School, Spain
- Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy
- University of British Columbia, Canada
- University of Sydney, Australia
- Official Data Services Provider: Refinitiv.
#ResearchChallenge #GreatnessHappensHere
About the CFA Institute Research Challenge
The CFA Institute Research Challenge is a global competition that tests the equity research and valuation, investment report writing, and presentation skills of university students.
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.
Through the course of the competition, which requires hundreds of hours of preparation, participants receive mentoring from a professional research analyst as they analyze a publicly traded company, write a professional research report, and present their research results and recommendations to a high-profile panel of experts. Points are awarded to teams on the basis of their investment case, their poise, and their ability to answer the judges’ questions.
The teams are sponsored by their local CFA Institute member society or groups of volunteers, each of which previously hosted country heats of the Challenge. Visit: //www.shopwtn.com/researchchallenge.