Boursa Kuwait rings the bell with Kuwait University's CFA Research Challenge winners

08/10/2025 04:31 AST

Boursa Kuwait joined the winners of the fourth edition of the CFA Research Challenge in ringing the bell, celebrating their achievement in the global financial analysis competition organized by CFA Society Kuwait, a member society of the CFA Institute.

The victorious Kuwait University team included students Khalid Al-Essa, Hilal Al-Mutairi, Abdulwahab Al-Jasmi and Shahad Al-Fahad, under the guidance of Dr Abdullah Al-Awadhi, Assistant Professor of Finance and Financial Institutions at the College of Business Administration, who served as the team's faculty advisor.

The bell-ringing ceremony was held to commemorate financial literacy as part of the ninth edition of World Investor Week, a global campaign organized by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) in collaboration with the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE). Kicking off on Monday, October 6 and running until October 12, 2025, the initiative brings together stock exchanges and market regulators from over 100 jurisdictions worldwide to raise awareness on the importance of financial literacy and investor protection, showcase initiatives adopted in these vital areas, and foster greater collaboration among IOSCO and WFE members to address issues impacting investors globally.

Commenting on Boursa Kuwait's participation in World Investor Week, Senior Director of Marketing and Corporate Communication, Naser M Al-Sanousi, said, "Boursa Kuwait believes that enhancing financial literacy is a fundamental pillar for the development of capital markets, as it empowers participants to make well-informed and thoughtful investment decisions. In this regard, the exchange is proud to join more than 100 financial institutions worldwide in participating in the ninth edition of World Investor Week, to highlight the importance of financial education and investor protection, as a member of the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE) and an affiliate member of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO)."

"This participation reflects the exchange's ongoing commitment to promoting financial literacy in Kuwait, expanding the knowledge base of capital market participants, and actively contributing to international initiatives that foster transparency and protect investor rights," Al-Sanousi added.

The ninth edition of World Investor Week will cover a range of topics, including technology and digital finance, artificial intelligence (AI) and the prevention of scams and fraud. These themes align with IOSCO's Roadmap for Retail Investor Online Safety and will be complemented with discussions and activity on the basics of investing. Participating institutions will have the flexibility to select any week in October to mark World Investor Week.

"Investor Protection is an important cornerstone of IOSCO's work. Just recently, the Board approved several publications that address how technology is influencing retail investment decisions, including tips to online investors on how to stay clear of associated risks. This year's WIW will help keep the spotlight on these discussions. I am grateful to all our members and partner organizations for their continued support," said IOSCO Board Chairman and Chair of the Belgium Financial Services & Markets Authority Jean-Paul Servais.

IOSCO is the leading international policy forum for securities regulators and the global standard setter for financial markets regulation. It develops, implements and promotes adherence to internationally recognized standards for financial markets regulation and works closely with other international organizations on the global regulatory reform agenda.

IOSCO believes that the need for investor education and financial literacy has never been more critical than it is today. As financial markets continue to evolve and innovate, investment products are becoming increasingly complex and financial services more diverse, requiring retail investors to develop a deeper understanding of key financial concepts, better assess the choices available to them and protect themselves against financial fraud.

CFA Research Challenge
In addition to ringing the bell with the winners of the fourth edition of the CFA Research Challenge, Boursa Kuwait announced its sponsorship of the Challenge for the second consecutive year, with "Premier" Market company Mabanee selected as the subject of the fifth edition.

Boursa Kuwait was the first strategic partner for the CFA Research Challenge in Kuwait, which is a global equity research competition for university students, where teams value a publicly traded company, write an in-depth research report and present their findings to a panel of investment professionals. Organized by local CFA Societies, students receive hands-on mentoring, train in financial analysis and corporate valuation, and develop their presentation skills. Local winners advance to regional and ultimately global competitions to become the ultimate champion. The fourth edition of the Challenge in Kuwait saw the participation of Kuwait University, the American University of the Middle East, the Gulf University of Science and Technology and the American University of Kuwait, who conducted a comprehensive analysis of Kuwait Telecommunications Company (stc).

Al-Sanousi expressed the Exchange's pride in being the primary strategic partner of the CFA Research Challenge, one of the most prominent international competitions in the field of financial analysis. He reaffirmed Boursa Kuwait's ongoing commitment to sponsoring this challenge in line with its dedication to supporting talented young nationals and equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to advance their professional careers.

He added: "This partnership reflects Boursa Kuwait's keenness to create and support innovative platforms that help refine the capabilities of the next generation of financial analysts in Kuwait, in line with the evolving needs of the financial sector and the country's economic diversification goals. We are also proud to honor the students who won the international competition by having them ring the bell to celebrate their achievement as part of the Global Investor Week initiative."

Assistant Professor of Finance and Financial Institutions at the College of Business Administration and the winning team's faculty advisor, Dr. Abdullah Al-Awadhi, expressed pride in his students, saying, "Today's achievement goes beyond winning the competition. It sends a clear message that the future of Kuwait's financial sector is in safe hands."

"On behalf of the Department of Finance at Kuwait University, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Boursa Kuwait for this outstanding initiative and their continued commitment to promoting financial literacy across various segments of society, particularly among the youth. I would also like to thank the CFA Institute and the CFA Society for organizing this annual challenge and their ongoing support to students from universities across Kuwait, which plays a vital role in honing their skills and preparing them for their future careers in the financial sector," he added.

President of CFA Society Kuwait Talal Al-Khamis expressed the Society's pride in its partnership with Boursa Kuwait, which continues to play a strategic role in its initiatives, adding, "Together, we are committed to advancing financial literacy, empowering students, professionals and executives alike to invest with confidence and contribute to building a more informed and sustainable financial future for Kuwait." The CFA Society Kuwait is an association of local investment professionals, consisting of portfolio managers, security analysts, investment advisors and other financial practitioners, that has served CFA charterholders and CFA Program candidates locally since 2008.

These initiatives form part of Boursa Kuwait's efforts to develop and educate market participants, as well as create a lasting, meaningful impact on the communities where it operates. Part of the company's Corporate Sustainability (CS) strategy, they are in line with Goal 4 - Quality Education - and Goal 17 - Partnership for the Goals - of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Boursa Kuwait's support of World Investor Week comes from the company's Corporate Sustainability (CS) strategy, which stipulates ensuring initiatives apply and fall in line with the company's corporate social responsibility (CSR), industry best practice standards and investor expectations, creating strong and sustainable partnerships that ultimately achieve success and allow it to leverage the capabilities and strengths of other companies or organizations that have experience in different fields, and integrating sustainability efforts with the company culture, in order to achieve longevity and an ongoing impact that is carried on and instilled in the day-to-day operations of the stock exchange.

Kuwait Times