Ateneo de Manila University bags 8th CFA Institute Research Challenge

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Team Ra, composed of students from the Ateneo de Manila University won the 8th CFA Institute Research Challenge (IRC) Local Finals held last February 23, 2016 at the PSE Auditorium in Ortigas, Pasig City, besting six other universities that joined this year’s challenge.

The Ateneo de Manila team, composed of Abelardo Hernandez, Giovanni Carlo Ong, II, Rafael Francisco Suarez, Agnes Melissa Gabrielle Tan and John Victor Te won a cash prize of Php100,000. The team will also represent the Philippines in the Asia-Pacific regional finals, to be held in Chicago, Illinois, USA on April 13 this year. If destiny is on their side, they also get to compete in the global finals which will be held in the same venue the very next day April 14.

The four finalist teams from top universities in the country presented their findings about this year’s subject company, SM Prime Holdings Inc., to the five judges namely: Valens Securities Chief Investment Strategist, Joel Litman; Fund Managers’ Association of the Philippines Founding President, Mr. Marvin Fausto; JP Morgan Head of Research, Jeanette Yutan; Bloomberry Resorts Corp. Director-Investor Relation, Leo Venezuela; and COL Financial Group Inc. Investment Analyst, Richard Laneda, CFA.

Ms. April Tan, CFA, CFA Philippines President, shares, “CFA Philippines congratulates the grand winner of this year’s local IRC and wish them the best in the regionals. We are very proud of the work of the students. Although it may seem ambitious, we are hopeful that the Philippine team will once again win the regional and the global championship this year.”

CHAMPION: Ateneo De Manila University (Ra) Presentation and Q&A

The Philippines already won the global championship in 2010 and 2014, making it the only society in the world to win the global championship twice.

“Going forward, we will continue to organize the local IRC, targeting local universities, in accordance with our initiatives to enhance financial literacy and to develop globally competitive investment professionals. We are reaching out to future investment professionals in an aim to instil in them a commitment to the highest standards of excellence and ethics in doing investment research.” Added Ms. Tan.

The CFA IRC Local Finals was also made possible through the competition’s sponsors: Platinum Sponsors-BPI Asset Management, COL Financial Group, Inc., Metro Pacific Investments; Gold Sponsors- AngPing and Associates Securities Inc.; and Bronze Sponsor-Maybank.


Photo caption: (from left to right): Industry Mentor of Ateneo De Manila University Mark Canizares; the CFA IRC Local Final Champions from Ateneo De Manila University Giovanni Carlo Ong III, Agnes Melissa Gabrielle Tan, John Te, Abelardo Hernandez and Rafael Francisco Suarez; Faculty Advisor of Ateneo De Manila University Mikhael Fiorello Llado

Here are more links of the Finalist Teams:

CHAMPION: Ateneo De Manila University (Ra)

Written Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwvaKPR5rQymSVM4NlRHbHJlU2c/view?usp=sharing

Presentation Slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwvaKPR5rQymRC1WbnZFekh2cjQ/view?usp=sharing

Facebook Photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1114120838622696.1073741857.155668251134631&type=3