[Singapore, 11 November 2014 (Tuesday)] - Leading active investment manager, Threadneedle Investments, today announces the Threadneedle Investment Award 2015 in partnership with Singapore Management University (SMU) and Cass Business School (Cass), part of City University London. The Award issues a challenge to students to assess the value of active portfolio management to investors, with a scholarship prize worth £12,000 going to one outstanding student from each university.

The Threadneedle Investment Award 2015 is a competition for investment and finance students studying at SMU and Cass.  Students are invited to write an essay addressing the question: What quantifiable benefits has active portfolio management delivered to investors?

A shortlist of three students from each university will be chosen and invited to present their ideas to a panel of judges from Threadneedle, SMU and Cass.  A winner from each university will receive £12,000 towards their tuition fees, paid for by Threadneedle. The winning student from SMU will also receive an internship at Threadneedle in Singapore. The scholarship competition is open to full-time students currently enrolled in the SMU MSc in Applied Finance MSc in Wealth Management and MSc in Quantitative Finance (a joint Master’s degree programme with Cass) and the Cass MSc Investment Management and MSc Finance.

Campbell Fleming, Threadneedle’s Chief Executive Officer, commented: “This award supports tomorrow’s investors, encouraging bright minds with an interest in investing at the very start of their careers. The value of active management is a topic of ongoing debate. As an active manager we fundamentally believe that markets are inefficient and that an active approach can benefit investors both in terms of risk and return. However it is inherent upon investment managers to demonstrate the value they ultimately deliver to investors – we are therefore interested to see how the students will approach this challenge and look forward to their fresh perspectives and original thinking. By partnering with SMU and Cass we are bringing together organisations that are leaders in investment thinking.”

Professor Howard Thomas, Dean of the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, said: “We are honoured to partner with Threadneedle and Cass Business School again in this Award.  We are very grateful to Threadneedle for the generosity – this platform not only allows SMU students to showcase their ideas and perspectives, the most talented student demonstrating investment management flair also goes on to learn from an established and reputable asset management firm.  Our students are gearing up for the Award and are enthusiastic to participate.  I am confident that we will receive high quality submissions from both institutions this year.”

Professor Steven Haberman, Dean of Cass Business School, said: “We are very proud of our long-standing partnership with Threadneedle and are delighted to work with them again on the Threadneedle Investment Award along with Singapore Management University. This award provides financial assistance to a highly deserving Cass student, who demonstrates academic excellence and a commitment to their student community, and inspires them to apply their knowledge and skills in investment management.” 

This is the third year the Threadneedle Investment Award has been offered. Threadneedle invests in the community through the Threadneedle Foundation, building partnerships that create positive social impact across a range of sectors, with a particular focus using education, art and sport to engender lasting social change. The Award supports further education and the pursuit of excellence, challenging ideas and fresh thinking in the investment industry.

Notes to Editors

The Threadneedle Investment Award 2015

The Award will provide one student from SMU and one student from Cass with a scholarship prize of S$24,500 (or £12,000) towards their tuition fees. The winning SMU student will, in addition, receive an internship with Threadneedle in Singapore. To apply for this Award, students must answer the specified essay question below (minimum 1,500 words and maximum 1,700 words). The entries will be short-listed and a winner from each university will be chosen by a judging panel made up of executives and academics from Threadneedle, SMU and Cass.  Closing date for submissions is Friday 27 February 2015.  Threadneedle will announce the winners in late March 2015. 

The essay question is: What quantifiable benefits has active portfolio management delivered to investors?

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