2013 RMA Credit Risk Case Competition

Team Coyne from Dalhousie University Rowe School of Business Chris McKenney, Becky Fiander, Jason Reid, Mary-Eleanor Walker‌
Second place winners Saint Mary’s University Sobey School of Business  Jason Nicholls, Jenn MacHattie, Nathan Dennison, Richard Flynn	Third place winners University of Toronto Rotman School of Business Rex Yeh, Colin Gray, Alan Kelly, Aswani Pulipake ‌

Congratulations, Team Coyne of Dalhousie's Rowe School of Business

for capturing first place and $10,000 of prize money at the
2013 RMA Sobey Risk Management Case Competition! 

“This has been a phenomenal learning experience,” says Mary-Eleanor Walker, on behalf of Team Coyne, the group of four Dalhousie University MBA students who took the $10,000 first prize.

The $5000 second place winner was Team Dodge from Saint Mary's University Sobey School of Business and third place winners from the Rotman School of Business at University of Toronto split a $3000 prize.

“Teams really demonstrated an impressive grasp of the nuances of financial risk analysis. They demonstrated insight and creativity in applying the tools they’d learned,” stated Ross Backman, a manager with RBC and member of the organizing committee.

The competition was hosted by the Risk Management Association and the Sobey School of Business, and was designed to offer students an opportunity to practice business analysis and financial risk assessment skills they’ve learned. Eight teams competed, including teams from Queens, University of Toronto, Wilfred Laurier, and Dalhousie University.

“Active learning is a key to developing skilled leaders. It was interesting to note not just their financial prowess, but the softer skills students demonstrated,” noted Patricia Bradshaw, dean of the Sobey School of Business. “The eye contacts, the handshakes, the presentation skills, the confidence. We are so proud to have an opportunity to build this bridge between students and industry.”

The competition gave teams a limited time to analyze a case and prepare a presentation to industry judges. The judges cross-examined each team. The top four teams took part in a final ‘crisis round’ in which they had 10 minutes to prepare a response to a second challenge.

Judges for the competition were drawn from the banking and risk management industry. The event was sponsored by Scotiabank, BMO, CIBC, HSBC, RBC and TD Bank Financial Group.

Risk management is a growing field, with many interesting challenges, David McLeod, another organizer and a manager with CIBC, told the students at the wrap up. “I hope I will be seeing many of you young professionals at recruiting events.”