UVic MBAs Win Annual Investment Competition

For the second time in five years, UVic MBA students have emerged on top in the fifth annual Financial Post MBA Portfolio Management Competition. The challenge sees Canadian MBA students invest $100,000 in fantasy money with the goal of earning the highest return.

The UVic team won by a “landslide” according to organizer David Pett of the National Post. The students ended the competition with a 43 per cent return, adding $43,000 to their initial amount.

“Our strategy focused on three main areas of the market— energy, commodities, and technology stocks,” says team member Kourosh Ahmadian. “By engaging in prudent stock analysis and research, we were able to identify value stocks that provided short-term gains and limited downside risk.”

“This shows the incredible calibre of students here at UVic Business,” says Mia Maki, coach and senior instructor in the entrepreneurship program. “Not only did they master many aspects of stock market trading, the team was very diverse. The students had to quickly learn how to work together to develop and execute a winning strategy.”

A group of seven students with undergraduate degrees in finance, business, and economics representing Canada, India, Brazil/USA, Turkey, and Japan formed the team: Ryan Bradford; Rodrigo Teixeira; Chisato Komamiya; Kourosh Ahmadian; Sukhchain Gill; Tristan Hasselback; Tolgahan Yildiz.

The competition began October 15, 2009 with 15 Canadian MBA schools competing.
 

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