Master of Finance students rolled up their sleeves and dug into a comprehensive case study at the inaugural Master of Finance Ethics Challenge and reception held in January. Teams from Queen’s University, Rotman School of Management, and Schulich School of Business were given a month to analyze a given scenario, determine an appropriate course of action, and prepare a 10-minute presentation on it for a panel of esteemed investment industry practitioners. The goal of this competition, based on the real-life experience of “Mr. Church,” is to arm financial students with the analytical and ethical ammunition required to face real-life conundrums throughout their careers.

After the students presented their cases, the real Mr. Church provided insight into what happened in the real-life scenario, what course of action was taken, and the ethical reasoning behind the decisions made. CFA Society Toronto and CFA Institute would like to congratulate students Tony Chan, Akshat Gupta, and Angel Liu from Rotman School of Management. The champions had a unique perspective that featured an in-depth investigation of ethical issues alongside commentary on ethical optics.

The integrity of the financial industry depends on leading by example. By supporting the importance of ethical decision making from the ground floor, financial professionals can improve the functioning of capital markets and build the perception of trustworthiness that practitioners enjoy within the investment community and in general. They can help build trust in the future of finance by working with the next generation of financial professionals.