ESG UQAM inaugurates the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec Portfolio Management Chair

The École des sciences de la gestion at UQAM (ESG UQAM) today inaugurated the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec Portfolio Management Chair. The Chair, made possible through a five-year funding initiative of $450,000 by the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, will be headed by Maher Kooli, a professor in the ESG’s Department of Finance. The inauguration was attended by Claude Corbo, Rector of UQAM, Michael Sabia, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Caisse, Ginette Legault, Dean of ESG UQAM, and Diane Veilleux, Executive Director of the UQAM Foundation.

The Chair’s main objective is to develop a recognized centre of excellence in portfolio management research and ensure a strategic watch of the sector. The Chair will achieve these objectives by conducting leading-edge research, training a new generation of portfolio management specialists, analyzing new practices and the various risk and profit factors, continually updating the content of the associated curricula, and helping to strengthen the financial sector. Its researchers will work closely with their network of experts in the Canadian and international academic arena, portfolio managers, and stakeholders in the business sector at large.

“Through this contribution by the Caisse, the entire financial management community will benefit from the research findings generated by the new Chair. UQAM is proud to be involved in promoting the advancement of knowledge in this area,” said Mr. Corbo during the inauguration.

“Beyond its investments, the Caisse also supports the Québec economy by developing our financial expertise here at home,” affirmed Mr. Sabia. “The creation of this Chair, in partnership with ESG UQAM, is one concrete way that we achieve this.”

Research orientations
During its 2011-2013 program, the Chair will direct its research efforts towards creating better performance indicators, replicating hedge fund returns by applying the most advanced methods, and managing portfolios using derivatives. “These are just a few of the issues faced by portfolio managers. The Chair will address such issues from an academic standpoint and provide professional guidance with the overall objective of improving the business environment,” explained Professor Kooli.

Advanced training and knowledge transfer strategy
“As an international financial hub, Montréal was in need of this contribution from a university, and ESG UQAM is delighted to be partnering with the Caisse in this initiative,” stated Ms. Legault. “The Chair will focus on the transfer of knowledge and expertise in Montréal, Québec and globally. It will help prepare the investors and portfolio managers of tomorrow by integrating masters and doctoral students into its research teams and facilitating both their understanding of the related issues and their transition to the job market.”

ESG – Caisse partnership
In addition to funding the new research Chair, the Caisse recently announced the renewal of its partnership with ESG UQAM for the school’s Trading Room. This hands-on trading room simulator is a practical tool designed to support the training of finance students. Playing a key role in applied research, it is used in a number of projects, including the construction of new indices and the establishment of new investment strategies.

ABOUT THE CAISSE DE DÉPÔT ET PLACEMENT DU QUÉBEC

The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is a financial institution that manages funds primarily for public and private pension and insurance plans. As at December 31, 2010, it held $151.7 billion in net assets. As one of Canada’s leading institutional fund managers, the Caisse invests in major financial markets, private equity and real estate. For more information: www.cdpq.com.

ABOUT THE ÉCOLE DES SCIENCES DE LA GESTION DE L’UQAM

The ESG UQAM has over 12,500 students, 260 professors and 550 course instructors. Its two inter-university research centres, four Canadian research chairs, 12 innovation research chairs, Tourism Intelligence Network and its many research groups are known for the quality of their work and their many economic, ethical and social anchors, confirming the school’s leadership in fundamental and applied research. It also offers a range of services, enabling it to propose integrated training to students, graduates and companies. www.esg.uqam.ca.