BUSINESS REPORTER
A team from the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) has won the local competition of the CFA Institute Research Challenge after beating teams drawn from seven other local universities.
The NUST team, made up Panashe Gotora, Edith Gwasira, Bukhosi Ndlovu, Munashe Jimu and Tariro Rwakonda, advances to the regional competition where it will compete against universities from the rest of Sub Saharan Africa. The team’s faculty adviser was Norbert Mungwini, a lecturer in Corporate Finance at NUST while the mentor was Bonginkosi Ntabeni, a senior associate at CBZ Capital.
The CFA Institute Research Challenge gathers students, investment industry professionals, publicly traded companies, and corporate sponsors together locally, regionally, and globally for an annual competition. In order to promote best practices in equity research and company analysis, students research, analyse, and report on a company as if they are practicing analysts. Local CFA member societies and other affiliated groups host local level competitions of the Research Challenge in conjunction with the participating universities.
Old Mutual Investment Group, Datvest and First Mutual Wealth sponsored this year’s CFA Institute Research Challenge, hosted by the Investment Professionals Association of Zimbabwe (IPAZ).
“The CFA Institute Research Challenge is one of the events where charterholders get an opportunity to give back to their communities,” said Ranga Makwata a chartered financial analyst and vice president of IPAZ.
“Volunteers from IPAZ spend countless hours to get it organised. Some were mentoring the students for three months, others graded the reports while another group were judges at the final presentation. The end result is very satisfying as the students benefit from this experience and get ready for the next chapter of their professional lives.”
The students presented their analysis and buy/sell/hold recommendations on Simbisa Brands Limited. Their presentation at the Research Challenge in Harare was the culmination of months of research; interviews with company management, competitors, and clients; and presentation training.
IPAZ is the local member association of CFA charterholders and candidates in Zimbabwe. CFA Institute is the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence and credentials.
