Founded in 2012, Rotman Student Investment Fund is a student-run investment fund focused on providing students with a window into the life of an Investment Analyst.
After more than 10 years in the making, on March 1, 2023, at 11:39 a.m., the Rotman Student Investment Fund (RSIF) bought its first stock. Today, the fund has 10 stocks across various sectors: consumer, healthcare, industrials, financials, technology and utilities.
RSIF Mission and Purpose
Organizational Structure
RSIF comprises 21 analysts in their first or second year of the master's program. The executive committee guides and trains them, including a CIO, a COO, and three or four Portfolio Managers – all in their final year of the master's program.
The analysts are grouped into three and assigned one of the seven sectors based on their interests and expertise. Out of the three analysts in a team, one is selected as a sector captain. The sector captain ensures the team is on track with its research and responsibilities.
Each sector is mentored by one of the executive members. The analysts are responsible for undertaking thorough research on their sectors, staying up to date with market-related news, and analyzing and communicating the impact of such information on their sector and the stock they plan to pitch.
Investment Portfolio & Performance
Investment Philosophy
RSIF is a long-term orientated active investment manager following a bottom-up stock selection process. We invest in solid businesses that trade below their intrinsic value and incorporate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors into our investment process.
Investment Objective
Provide long-term, sustainable capital growth without taking undue risk.
Investment Benchmark
RSIF’s benchmark comprises three components: 3-month T-Bill return (5% weighting), S&P 500 Index (C$) (47.5%), and S&P/TSX Composite Total Return Index (47.5%).
Investment Portfolio
RSIF’s flagship event, the Final Stock Pitch, occurs towards the end of the academic year in April. The event brings together the yearlong training sessions and workshops that the group of 21 analysts undertakes in the form of a stock pitch. Of the seven stock pitches, the five best ideas are selected for inclusion in the fund. Currently, the RSIF portfolio comprises 10 stocks.
Meet The Executive Team
GuanHua Wang
CIO/PM
Sector: XYZ
Pavithra Bhaskaran
COO/PM
Sector: XYZ
Puru Kawatra
PM
Sector: XYZ
Brad Sadoff
PM
Sector: XYZ
Jagannath Kshtriya
PM
Sector: XYZ
Echo Yang
PM
Sector: XYZ
BECOME AN ANALYST
Recruitment Process:
RSIF seeks to recruit a class of analysts from diverse backgrounds to create rounded sector teams of students with financial and industry experience. The Analyst team consists of 21 MBA & Master's student members, covering seven sectors: Cash Yield, Consumer, Communications, Energy, Healthcare, Industrials, and Technology. RSIF recruits in September. An updated timeline will be communicated at RAMA & RSIF Kickoff event and via RAMA member email.
Application includes:
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One-page resume and coverletter
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One to two-page stock pitch in Word or PDF format
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Fill out the RSIF Application form
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30 - 45 minutes interview
What we are looking for:
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Demonstrated passion for investing
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Motivation for wanting to be an analyst
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Quality stock pitch (written and presentation)
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Knowledge of market trends and events
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Spike factor and diversity
Alumni Network
Sean Swift
Portfolio Manager 2020-21
"In my time at Rotman, I have discovered the complexity of capital markets and investment research. RSIF's platform provides the tools to attack these complex problems. Additionally, RSIF has shown me the value of diverse, well-aligned teams seeking a common goal."
What's the RSIF team reading and listening to?
Selected books
Investment Greats:
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Beating the Street - Peter Lynch
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The Intelligent Investor - Benjamin Graham
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You Can Be a Stock Market Genius - Joel Greenblatt
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Reminiscences of a Stock Operator – Edwin Lefevre
Business Strategy and Macroeconomics:
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Blue Ocean Strategy: W. Chan Kim
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Big Debt Crises: Ray Dalio
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Geopolitical Alpha - Marko Panic
Other:
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Black Swan: Nassim Nicholas Taleb
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Liar's Poker: Michael Lewis
Podcasts
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Animal Spirits
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Compounders: The anatomy of a multibagger
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Invest like the best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy
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Macro voices
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Masters in Business - Barry Ritholtz
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Smarter Markets
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Yet another value podcast
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Value hive