The final round of the Russian stage of CFA Institute Research Challenge took place on the March 5, 2014. This year more than 3500 students and 600 universities and business schools from different parts of the world competed for the title, and the team that will represent Russia at the international level has been chosen.

The Russian stage of the competition took place in the office of the investment company JSC “Rosnano” in Moscow, where eight Russian universities – Moscow State University, Higher School of Economics, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics and Informatics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, New Economic School and Saint Petersburg State University – competed for the right to advance to the next regional stage of the Olympiad. Vladimir Repyev, HR Director of “Rosnano”, and Oleg Evseenko, Finance Director, maintained the positive spirit, sport excitement and belief in victory.

CFA Association Russia is the organizer of the Russian stage of CFA Institute Research Challenge for the fourth time, and every year the teams show an incredibly high level of preparation and strong determination; however, only one team will become the winner and will represent Russia on the international stage of the Olympiad.

Every year CFA Association Russia invites Russian leading public companies to become a subject for investment reports on the national level of the competition. This year the subject for reports is the company QIWI, the leading payment service of new generation in Russia and CIS countries. QIWI owns an integrated payment system that allows making payments on physical, Internet and mobile communication channels. Today QIWI products are in more than 14 million virtual pockets, 169000 kiosks and terminals and 54000 providers that accept monthly payments totaling more than Rub 44 billion from more than 60 million clients.

In the CFA Institute Research Challenge, there are eight Russian teams, and each one prepared an analytical review of QIWI’s activity.  Recognized experts from the finance industry, leading specialists of Russia’s largest banks and financial investment companies reviewed and evaluated these reports.

The panel of judges chose the teams from 4 institutions for the final CFA IRC:

-          Moscow State University

-          Higher School of Economics

-          Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration

-          New Economic School

On March 5 2014, the final part of Russian stage of the competition was completed. As in the starting stage, 'Rosnano' and 'Kaplan Schweser', provider of training materials for CFA exams, were the partners of the event. In the office of 'Rosnano' the final teams presented their investment projects in front of the panel of judges. Following the presentations, questions were taken from the judges; the results of the Russian stage were based on the sum of written report and oral presentation.

The winner of 2013-2014 CFA Institute Research Challenge final in Russia, with the maximum score for written report and presentation, is the Moscow State University team, and will represent Russia in the regional final, which will take place in Milan, Italy on April 1-2, 2014!

More than 3500 students from 600 universities and business schools will take part in the CFA Institute Research Challenge from different parts of the world. The annual competition will take place in Russia for the fourth time, improving its international reputation for universities and providing a deeper understanding of companies’ analysis and review for students. CFA Institute, the organizer of the event, is a developer of the gold standard in the finance industry: CFA program (The Chartered Financial Analyst). The CFA Institute Research Challenge is a unique opportunity for talented students to learn from leading industry experts and meet colleagues from world’s best universities and business schools.

The 2014 winning team will prepare for the next stage with the help of CFA specialists from the finance and banking industry. The students will also receive recommendations on how to make presentations in English. The next stage in Italy will definitely help young talents represent their country with dignity.

We congratulate the Moscow State University team and wish it the best of luck in regional final!