07/02/2011
Sabancı University Faculty of Management’s Masters in Finance students will represent Turkey in the European leg of the Global Investment Research Challenge. The Global Investment Research Challenge is held to support the transition of successful students to professional life. The Sabancı University team ranking first in the Turkey leg of the competition consists of MiF students Ümit Kaf, Nihan Özulu, Sema Ersan and Aziz Alper Üstünışık.
The Sabancı University team will represent Turkey at the regional GIRC (Global Investment Research Challenge) finals to be held in Madrid on March 3rd, 2011. The winner of the regional finals will compete in the GIRC world finals to be held in Ohama, Nebraska in April.
Garanti Yatırım Menkul Değerler A.Ş. will provide internship opportunities to the Sabancı University Masters in Finance students for their success in the challenge.
Projects were assessed by a jury of leading figures in finance
Held by the CFA Society of Istanbul in association with Garanti Yatırım Menkul Değerler A.Ş., the Global Investment Research Challenge Turkey required teams from Bilgi, Bilkent, Sabancı and Istanbul Technical Universities submitted an investment report on Trakya Cam to a jury panel composed of investment experts and executives in the sector. Members of the jury were Credit Suisse Turkey General Manager Uğur Bayar, Libera Portfolio Manager Didem Gorbon and Garanti Yatırım Research Department Vice President Mahmut Kaya.
The Sabancı University team analyzed market situation, company structure and financial techniques
The team of Sabancı University Masters in Finance students met with Trakya Cam executives to gather information about the company. Then they used the financial tables of the company and the forecasts they prepared in the light of the data they gathered to create theoretical financial tables for the future years of the company. Based on these tables and financial valuation methods, they calculated the ideal current trading price for Trakya Cam securities. The study included qualitative assessments of market situation and company structure, and quantitative assessments based on financial techniques.
Global Investment Research Challenge
Held by the CFA Institute, the Global Investment Research Challenge gathers students, investment industry professionals, publicly traded companies, and corporate sponsors together locally, regionally, and globally for a real world competition. Students are required to act as financial analysts to collect information, evaluate data and prepare reports based on their findings about a selected company. The local organizer is the CFA Society of Istanbul, which organizes the competition and appoints mentors to the competing students.
The competition is important because it enables students to undertake a full-scale company valuation project and to apply the theoretical knowledge they gain in class. In accordance with the requirements of the competition, students are allowed to receive minimal assistance from their professors or other sources outside the school.