Students to compete for CFA Institute EMEA regional final in Istanbul

Bahrain, 24 November, 2009- For the first time, universities in Bahrain are participating in the CFA Institute Global Investment Research Challenge.  CFA Bahrain, the Kingdom's pre-eminent association for local investment professionals, consisting of portfolio managers, investment advisors, educators and other financial professionals, recently hosted the first stage of the national competition on 21 November. Over the next few months five teams of twenty students from four of the Kingdom's leading universities and business schools will compete for a place in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) regional final in Istanbul in March 2010.  The successful team from the EMEA region will then compete in the international final to be held in Hong Kong next April.

The competition was established in 2007 by CFA Institute, the global association for investment professionals to which CFA Bahrain is affiliated, building on the success of an earlier event set up in 2002 by the New York Society of Security Analysts (NYSSA) - a member society of CFA Institute - as a means to promote best practice in research among the next generation of financial analysts and to provide students with an insight into the investment industry.  Its success in less than three years can be measured by the 1500 students from 250 Universities from 36 countries who have since taken part.  Now entering its fourth year, the event continues to grow with national competitions taking place in more countries than ever before.

The Global Investment Research Challenge is an educational initiative in which leading industry professionals guide business and finance students in researching and reporting on a publicly traded company.  It spans one academic year and consists of analyzing a public company, mentoring by a professional research analyst, writing a research report and presenting its results and recommendations to a high profile panel of experts.  Marks are awarded to each team on the basis of their investment case, their delivery and their ability to answer and respond to detailed analysis from the judges.

Lamees Al Baharna, Vice President of CFA Bahrain, said: "Last year students from Nanyang Technological University from Singapore won the competition, beating stiff opposition from three other teams from Ireland, the United States and Brazil.   This year's competition will be just as challenging.  Our society is very excited to be bringing the event to Bahrain and the GCC for the first time, for giving students the chance to meet some of the finest investment professionals working in the Kingdom and to potentially meet their contemporaries from many other countries.  Its further evidence of the continued educational work we are doing to help support the investment professionals of tomorrow."  

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About CFA Bahrain
The CFA Bahrain Society is an association of local investment professionals consisting of portfolio managers, investment advisors, educators and other financial professionals.  It is one of the largest member societies in the GCC region and with CFA membership in the GCC anticipated to double over the next decade; a significant share of this growth is expected to be in Bahrain as the Kingdom continues to grow as an international business and investment centre. 

About CFA Institute
CFA Institute is the global association for investment professionals. It administers the CFA and CIPM curriculum and exam programs worldwide; publishes research; conducts professional development programs; and sets voluntary, ethics-based professional and performance-reporting standards for the investment industry. CFA Institute has nearly 100,000 members, who include the world's 89,220 CFA charter holders, as well as 136 affiliated professional societies in 57 countries and territories. More information may be found at www.cfainstitute.org

About the CFA Institute Centre for Financial Market Integrity
The CFA Institute Centre develops timely, practical solutions to global capital market issues. Established in 2004, the CFA Institute Centre builds upon the CFA Institute mission to lead the investment profession globally by setting the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence. It carries forward the organization's 60-year history of standards and advocacy work, especially its Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct for the investment profession. More information may be found at www.cfainstitute.org/centre

For and on behalf of CFA Institute in the GCC and Middle East
Mahmood Ali/ Marcus Pepperell/ @ FD
T: +973 17 537 072
mahmood.ali@fd.com/marcus.pepperell@fd.com  

CFA Institute
Steve Wellard / Sarah‐Jane Purvis (Europe, Middle East, Africa)
T: + 44 (20) 7531‐0755 / 0766
steve.wellard@cfainstitute.org / sarahjane.purvis@cfainstitute.org 

© Press Release 2009