Global win for AUT finance students
In an AUT and New Zealand first, a team of finance students has won top honours at a respected international case competition.
Hosted by McGill University in Montreal, Canada, the 2024 McGill International Portfolio Challenge brings together the talented finance students from around the world and gives them the opportunity to tackle complex financial challenges and real-world socioeconomic issues faced by large asset managers.
Despite 2024 being the first year AUT has participated in the prestigious competition, the AUT Business School team of Joey Ramos, Jack Wang, Andrew Botting, and Pranav Mandora claimed first prize for their solution to this year’s challenge:
“As countries such as Peru, Chile, South Africa, and the UK advance with key liquidity initiatives, the question arises: How can we formulate innovative portfolio strategies that not only withstand the pressures of inflation but also cater to the liquidity needs of retirees across various demographics?”
To prepare their portfolio strategy, the team dedicated countless hours over the past few months researching, analysing, and formulating an innovative solution that optimally balanced liquidity with long-term sustainable growth in retirement savings in the context of the case study – the Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan.
Last week, the team presented their solution online to a wide range of stakeholders including industry sponsors and partners, academics, recruiters, and investors. The judges praised the design for its robustness and exceptional insight into sustainable asset management. Senior lecturer Dr Ihsan Badshah (Economics and Finance) mentored the team. He applauds their achievement, describing it as “no mean feat”.
“This challenge is hotly contested by skilled competitors from around the world - this year, the participants comprised 99 teams from across 27 countries and six continents.”
Team member Jack Wang said: “We’re extremely grateful for the amazing opportunity to represent AUT and gain exposure, feedback, and mentorship from leading industry professionals on a global stage.”