Blue chip panel provides hedge fund primer

QSB’s new downtown Toronto facility was the place to be on Oct. 17 for MBA and Master of Finance (MFin) students interested in the investment industry. A blue chip panel of speakers offered insights on the Canadian hedge fund industry, including their assessments of current challenges and issues likely to impact the markets in the future. The full-day session was a joint effort of the Master of Finance program and the Queen’s University Alternative Asset Fund (QUAAF).

Ably moderated by Saumil Desai, MFin’13, presentations covered a wide range of topics by panelists James Burron, COO, Alternative Investment Management Association; Neil Simons, VP, Northwater Capital Management; Esther Zurba, Director, Castle Hall Alternatives; Kripa Kapadia, Associate Director, Prime Brokerage, Scotia Global Banking and Markets; and Mike Durland, PhD’91, Co-CEO, Scotia Global Banking and Markets.

“It was a real eye-opener to hear from executives on the front lines of the Canadian hedge fund industry,” says Clarissa Leung, MBA’13, one of the student organizers of the event. “It brought to life what we’ve been learning in the classroom.”