PO Box 131 Ferndale, 2160 South Africa
Telephone: +27 11 791-0105 Fax: +27 11 791-0107
Executive Office: Unit 2, West Square, 407 West Avenue, Ferndale, Johannesburg
For Immediate Release
Press Release
1 November 2011
CFA South Africa Research University Challenge winners…
The CFA Institute’s South African leg of the Research University Challenge was held at the
Johannesburg Country Club, Auckland Park, Johannesburg on 24 October 2011.
The CFA Institute Research Challenge offers students the unique opportunity to learn from
leading industry experts and compete with peers from the world’s top business schools. This
annual education initiative is designed to promote best practices in equity research among
the next generation of analysts through hands-on mentoring and intensive training in
company analysis and presentation skills.
Over the course of the competition, university teams of five students each are mentored by
industry professionals in writing an equity research report on a publicly traded company. The
teams then present their findings to a distinguished panel of experts.
This year, seven universities entered the Challenge, but only four qualified for the local
South African final of the Challenge. The participating universities included the University of
Cape Town (UCT), the University of Johannesburg (UJ), the University of Pretoria (UP) and
Stellenbosch University (SU).
The UCT team consisted out of Shaun Michael Dunlop, Mary Ann Aimee, Sibusiso Xaba,
Caville Elizabeth Harris, Molebogeng Roalane, Dr Francois toerien, CFA, as faculty advisor
and Adrian Zetler as Mentor.
The UJ team consisted out of Simone Naidoo, Paul Pires De Almedia, Tamuka Keith
Maravanyika, Jean Morne Hamann, Khethuhuthula Louie Lubisi, Niel Oberholzer as faculty
advisor and Omega Collocott as mentor.
Winners of the University Challenge was, the UP team, which consisted out of Marc Stephen
Steinhobel, Christopher Mark Nel, Christopher Kimble Harmse, Zainab Bhamjee, Sumaiya
Aziz, Moira Mabalane as faculty advisor and Mia Kruger as mentor.
The SU team consisted out of Hester Marie Nortje, Astrid Kim Reisinger, Jeanelle Mirida
Bezuidenhout, Christoffel Lombard, Theodorus Johannes Kitshoff, JD van Heerden as faculty
advisor and Liang Du as mentor.
Directors of CFA South Africa TB Berry, CFA AC Canter, CFA PJ Knibbs, CFA E Louw, CFA
L Raff, CFA AD Thompson, CFA NL Waisberg, CFA
Executive Officer: Ann Marie Wood
CFA South Africa is a society formed under the auspices of the CFA Institute,
Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
CFA and Chartered Financial Analyst are registered trademarks
The challenge was sponsored by public company, Bidvest Group, and a special thanks was
given to David Cleasby and Linda Hardy for their assistance in the event. Judges consisted
out of Arthur Thompson, CFA, CFA South Africa, Peter Armitage, Investec, Chris Gilmour,
Absa Asset Management.
Challenge paper graders included Francois du Plessis, Vega Capital, Jacques Hattingh, CFA,
Nedbank Capital, Marisa Kaplan, Allan Gray, Craig Pheiffer, CFA, Absa Asset Management
All CFA Institute member societies hold these local research challenges. The local winners
(University of Pretoria), will advance to regional competitions to be held in London, the week
of 5 March 2012 and the regional winners will compete in the 2012 global final, most
probably in new York, US, the week of 9 March 2012.
The Challenge consists out of the following components:
1. Analysis of a public company: Teams research a publicly traded company. Company
management presents to the teams and participates in a Q&A session.
2. Mentoring by a professional research analyst: Each team works with an investment
professional, who mentors the team on research process and reviews and critiques
their report.
3. Writing a research report: Students produce an initiation of coverage report on the
chosen company. The report is reviewed a scored by a group of judges.
4. Presentation of Research to a high-profile panel of experts: Teams present their
research to a panel of experts from top financial institutions. The team with the
highest combined report and presentation score is the winner.
5. Advancement to CFA Institute’s Research Challenge: The winner of the local
competition advances to the international Global Research Challenge.
About CFA Institute
CFA Institute is the global association for investment professionals. It administers the CFA and CIPM curriculum
and exam programmes worldwide; publishes research; conducts professional development programmes; 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 87,500 CFA charterholders, as well as 137
affiliated professional societies in 58 countries and territories. More information may be found at
www.cfainstitute.org
About CFA South Africa
CFA South Africa, an affiliate of CFA Institute, serves the investment community of Southern Africa by
promoting the highest standards of professional excellence and integrity. In our mission to promote globalbest-practice, CFA South Africa supports the CFA Code of Conduct & Standards of Practice and the Chartered
Financial Analyst (CFA) Programme. CFA South Africa members are principally investment and financial service
professionals, academics, and regulators. CFA South Africa is a non-profit organisation that seeks to be
financially sustainable. More information may be found at http://www.cfa.ac.za/index.html
Media Contact:
Leandi Cameron
Cell: 071 606 5553
Email: leandicameron@gmail.com
CFA South Africa:
Ann Marie Wood
Tel: 011-791 0105
Directors of CFA South Africa TB Berry, CFA AC Canter, CFA PJ Knibbs, CFA E Louw, CFA
L Raff, CFA AD Thompson, CFA NL Waisberg, CFA
Executive Officer: Ann Marie Wood
CFA South Africa is a society formed under the auspices of the CFA Institute,
Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
CFA and Chartered Financial Analyst are registered trademarks