Accounting and Finance students triumph at CFA Institute Research Challenge UAE Finals for third time
- Wednesday, 2 March 2022
A team of final year Middlesex University Dubai BA (Honours) Accounting and Finance students have been crowned the national winners of the CFA Institute Research Challenge 2022’s UAE Finals for the third time in a row.
Vasantha Rajendran, Tresey Chacko, Craig Miranda, Ron Domingo and Ramona Menezes beat out nine other teams from international universities across the UAE to walk away with the coveted top prize at the global financial analysis competition’s national finals on 26th February 2022.
The CFA Institute Research Challenge is a global competition that provides university students with hands-on mentoring and intensive training in the areas of financial analysis and professional ethics. Each student is tested on their analytical, valuation, report writing, and presentation skills.
Assuming the role of a research analyst, the team of Middlesex students were challenged during the finals to provide their investment recommendations for ADNOC Distribution, one of the largest listed entities on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.
Without any previous experience in the field and by learning from scratch, they conducted an in-depth analysis of each potential stock’s industry, financials, investment risks, environmental, social and corporate governance, and valuations before presenting the fair value of the stock and recommending a buy, sell or hold.
Pallavi Kishore, Campus Programme Coordinator - Undergraduate and Postgraduate Accounting and Finance, praised the students’ ability to master this complex topic and manage the intense competition alongside their regular class schedules. “Our team’s presentation was very professional, impressing their faculty mentors, the competition’s high-profile judges, competition organisers (who are all CFA charter holders), and also students from other universities in UAE.”
Following their victory, the students will now represent CFA Society Emirates – the CFA Institute’s chapter in the UAE – at the CFA Institute Research Challenge’s EMEA sub-regional finals in March 2022.
Pallavi added: “On behalf of the University, I would like to thank their faculty mentor Ms Rashita Puthiya, who spent tireless hours training and steering the team towards this success. Rashita has been mentoring students for the CFA competition for the last three years, and it is no coincidence that this is our third victory in a row! The team was also supported by Ms Bhupali Gursale, their industry mentor. Thank you Bhupali for your tremendous support.”
Congratulations to Vasantha Rajendran, Tresey Chacko, Craig Miranda, Ron Domingo and Ramona Menezes on your victory, and best of luck in the upcoming EMEA sub-regional finals!
