CFA Ireland hosted the Final of the Irish Investment Research Challenge on 19th March 2009. The research challenge spanned five months and involved teams from NUIG, TCD, UCC, UCD and University of Ulster writing and presenting a stock analysis of Kerry Group. Kerry Group facilitated the competition through a general presentation to the assembled teams in November and a series of one-on-one calls with each team in early 2009. The overall winning team were UCC and they went on to represent Ireland at the European Regional Final in London on 1st April.

UCC was represented by Godfrey Akileng, Domenico Campa, Ciara Connolly and Gillian O'Carroll.  Ciara and Gillian are students on the Masters in Corporate Finance and Accounting degree and both Domenico from Italy and Godfrey from Uganda are undertaking PhD studies in Accounting also at UCC. The UCC team was mentored by Mark Mulcahy, CFA and Dr Ray Donnelly, both lecturers in Accounting and Finance in the College of Business and Law, UCC and by Oliver McClure, CFA, from PI Investment Management.

The Challenge is an annual educational initiative designed to promote best practices in equity research to students from business schools worldwide through hands-on mentoring and intensive training in company analysis. Leading industry professionals mentor business and finance students on how to research and report on a publicly traded company.  “This competition offers university students a valuable opportunity to showcase their analytical skills in front of a professional investment audience,” said Joe Kavanagh, President of CFA Ireland.