AUK Participates in the CFA Institute Research Challenge 2014

The Chartered Financial Analysts Society in Kuwait organized a challenge, entitled the CFA Institute Research Challenge, for university students in Kuwait to create and present an equity report for Jazeera Airways. Held for the first time in Kuwait, students from the American University of Kuwait (AUK), Kuwait University (KU), the American University of the Middle East (AUM), and the Australian College of Kuwait (ACK) participated in the challenge.

Five students majoring in Finance at AUK participated in the CFA Institute Research Challenge; Sally Zaghloul, Jihan Kablaoui, Manit Kaur, Nigel D'souza and Mireille Tannous. Prior to conducting their research, the students had the opportunity to meet with Jazeera Airways Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Mr. Donald Hubbard, who provided all the participants with a briefing on the airline's performance in recent years, then proceeded to answer questions the participants had.

The CFA Institute Research Challenge required the participants to play the role of financial analysts and value a publicly traded stock, provide a written paper for their analysis and then present their recommendations to a panel of investment industry experts. The AUK team was mentored by Mr. Raghu Mandagolathur, Senior Vice President at Kuwait Financial Centre/Markaz.

"After weeks of intense and careful preparation, we were able to present and justify our analysis clearly during a questions and answers session fielded by an imposing panel of judges," said Sally Zaghloul, a Finance Major at AUK and team leader. The panel included Mr. Talal Al-Tawari, Head of GCC stock at Gulf Investment Company; Mr. Ziad Al-Qaisey, Chief Investment Officer at KAMCO; Mr. Karim Kamal, Executive Director for Brokerage & Research at NBK Capital; and Mr. Gururaj Rao, Chief Investment Officer at Noor Financial Investment Company.

Professors John Russell, Dean College of Business and Economics, and Mr. Rafiqul Bhuyan, Professor of Finance at AUK, attended the presentations to encourage and support AUK's team.

Following the challenge, a ceremony was held at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Salmiya where the AUK team was awarded with Outstanding Investment Research certificates.

The 2014 CFA Institute Research Challenge in Kuwait was organized by CFA Mr. Robin Bhattacharya, who also served as the intermediary between the student participants and Jazeera Airways. The team was mentored throughout the completion of the challenge by Dr. Bhuyan, and Mr. Raghu Mandagolathur, Senior Vice President at Kuwait Financial Centre/Markaz.

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 7th April 2014