EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

QFRM students are also actively engaged in student activities, voluntary services and international competitions to broaden their horizons.

 

Giselle Yu, 1st Runner-up, Peak Time Case Competition 2017 Together with Colin, Wilkins and Joyce, I participated in Peak Time 2017, an annual international business case competition held by the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga, Latvia. After competing in the preliminary rounds, the 20 top teams from 18 different countries were invited to join the final events in Riga. Our first task was to maximise the share price of a phone manufacturing company in a business simulation game. Then, we were asked to solve a business case in 4 hours. This case competition is an excellent platform for business students to apply book knowledge to a real scenario. We were also able to polish our team collaboration skills and presentation techniques. Peak Time is more than just a competition; it is also a golden chance for participants to know more about Latvia and other countries. In the Riga sightseeing tour and cultural evening gathering, we learned about Latvian history and other countries’ cultures by chatting with other finalists and tasting their traditional snacks.

Henry Lin, Champion, Peak Time Case Competition 2016 Together with three other students from the CUHK Business School, I joined Peak Time 2016 in Riga, Latvia. The final competition attracted 20 teams from 17 different countries. The final competition was divided into two rounds. In the first round, we, acting as the managing board of a phone manufacturing company, were asked to maximise the share price of the company by applying different pricing strategies. During the second round, we were requested to help a company out of its dilemma within 4 hours and gave a presentation to a panel of judges. The Business competition gave us a chance to apply book knowledge to a real-world scenario, to get connected with outstanding students from all around the world and also to derive valuable advice from the judges. Meanwhile, the organising competition arranged a wide range of activities that offered us a chance to explore Riga, an old and mystical city in Eastern Europe.

Henry Lin, 2nd Runner-up, Ernst & Young CSR Challenge Together with eight students from six different universities in Hong Kong, I joined the Ernst and Young Company Corporate Social Responsibility (EY CSR) Challenge. Unlike other case competitions, the EY CSR challenge offered us a valuable experience in giving real marketing advice to a startup in the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park (HKSTP). During the Easter holiday, we had a booth at HKSTP that attracted around 2,000 visits. As the second part of the challenge, we were requested to present our marketing advice to the partners of EY, chairman of HKSTP and also entrepreneurs from the startups. As the case is based on a real setting, not many ideal assumptions could be made. We needed to be very attentive to the details and get strong support for all of the suggestions made. This unique CSR challenge offered me a valuable chance to get in touch with entrepreneurs in different fields and gain valuable experience from these professionals in the field.

Peter Xi & Kinson Chan, Best Consistency Award, CASH Algo Trading Contest Participating in the CASH Algo Trading Contest has been a unique experience that cannot be obtained elsewhere. In the contest, our team strived to compose a trading strategy algorithm using Python in pursuit of both high returns and good consistency. The competition is a remarkable opportunity to apply knowledge of quantitative finance and risk management in the investment world, and furthermore, it has also been a chance to sharpen our programming skills. All of our team members enjoyed the contest, and winning the Best Consistency Award definitely better prepares us to be future quants.

Shi-yu Song, ranked 8th globally, J.P. Morgan Investment Challenge 2015 I joined the J.P. Morgan Investment Challenge last semester and luckily ranked 8th globally. I used a simple but very risky strategy by setting up a synthetic long stock with Ping An (02318.HK). The strategy allows you to win lots of money once you bet on the right trend but at the same time suffer a lot by taking risks. It is always worthwhile to join different case competitions; the cost is limited but the rewards are huge. Not only do you get possible internship opportunities, you can also apply what you learn from the textbook to the real-word situation.