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CFA Institute Announces Judges for Second Annual Global Investment Research Challenge

Top Names Convene to Evaluate the Next Generation of Investment Professionals’ Research Abilities and Techniques


Charlottesville, Va., April 14, 2008 − CFA Institute announced today the judges for its second annual Global Investment Research Challenge. The Global Challenge is an annual educational initiative designed to promote best practices in equity research to students from business schools worldwide through hands-on mentoring and intensive training in company analysis.

Regional competitions will be held throughout April in London, Hong Kong, and New York to determine the five teams that will compete in this year’s Global Challenge final. The teams will present their findings at the Global Challenge to a panel of top industry professionals that includes:

Kay Booth, director of global research, Bear Stearns & Co.
Gabriel Burstein, CFA, global head of research, Reuters Research & Asset Management
Peggy Eisen, CFA, managing director, CFA Institute
Charley Ellis, CFA, founder, Greenwich Associates

The Global Challenge will be held back-to-back with the North American Regional Challenge April 30. Only the top two North American teams out of six will advance to the Global Challenge. They will be judged by these experts:

Thomas R. Keene, CFA, host, Bloomberg on the Economy
Thomas Madsen, CFA, global head of equities, UBS
Michael Mauboussin, chief investment strategist, Legg Mason Capital Management
Arthur Moretti, CFA, managing director, Neuberger Berman, LLC
Jason Trennert, CFA, chief investment strategist, Strategas Research Partners

The Challenge is an educational initiative whereby leading industry professionals mentor business and finance students on how to research and report on a publicly traded company. This year, more than 300 students from 80 universities worldwide will have participated in local Challenges, leading to the regional and global play-offs.

“The Challenge brings universities, students, and investment professionals together in a unique fashion that advances the principles of ethics and professional excellence and the value of a career in the finance industry,” said Jeff Diermeier, CFA, CFA Institute president and CEO. “The addition of our judges reinforces the Challenge’s focus on learning within a real-world environment. I remember how my university education prepared me to enter the world of finance. The participating students, universities, and societies contribute greatly to our future and their dedication to ethics and competency helps advance the CFA Institute mission.”

The event spans one academic year, and consists of the following components:

  • Training in Research and Report Writing
  • Analysis of a Public Company
  • Mentoring By an Investment Professional
  • Assessment of Written Reports
  • Presentation of Research to a Panel of Experts

Each team for the regional events is sponsored by a CFA Institute member society. Society leaders, together with local universities, assemble teams of three to five students each. Teams are mentored by industry professionals in how to write an equity research report on a publicly traded company. Some societies provide training on research techniques, report writing, and presentation skills. The societies involved in the 2008 competitions are:


The Global Challenge will be held on Thursday, May 1, 5:00 − 8:30 pm, at Thomson Financial, 195 Broadway, New York. Online registration to attend is available for the North American and Global competitions.  

Journalists may RSVP to Kathy Valentine at kathy.valentine@cfainstitute.org or Jessica Galehouse at jessica.galehouse@cfainstitute.org. 

This year’s Global Challenge is sponsored by Reuters.

View the results of the inaugural Challenge. 

CFA Institute
CFA Institute is the global membership association that administers the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement (CIPM) curriculum and exam programs worldwide; publishes research; conducts professional development programs; and sets voluntary, ethics-based professional and performance-reporting standards for the investment industry. CFA Institute has more than 94,000 members, who include the world’s 81,000 CFA charterholders, in 131 countries and territories, as well as 135 affiliated professional societies in 56 countries and territories. More information may be found at www.cfainstitute.org. (Bloomberg users can find CFA Institute at 497458Z).