Lessons learned from competing among other finance thinkers
Amid our busy work term or school terms, we were delighted to hear that we would be representing the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) at the Rotman Commerce TD Mergers & Acquisitions Case Competition!
The case competition was on March 11, 2021, and we had around one week to read the case, review the details, create a slide deck, and create a presentation where we assumed the role of investment bankers aiding in a potential acquisition bid. The case was based on a real acquisition that took place in the late 2000s, which added to the realism of the case.
After enrolling in applied finance courses as part of the University of Waterloo Accounting and Financial Management (AFM) program, all three of us expressed our interest in learning more about the field. This conference was a great opportunity to be able to expand our presentation, problem-solving and teamwork skills while also expanding our knowledge about finance and more specifically, mergers and acquisitions (M&A). The conference also offered some industry discussions wherein professionals from TD’s investment banking division would offer insight into some previous transactions they had completed, and there were also networking opportunities.
With all of us in the team having participated in the School of Accounting and Finance’s Student Investment Fund at one point or another, we all had transferable skills that were put to use for this competition. The case required us to think a lot about valuation and financing alternatives. We learned how to evaluate a business and create informative presentations.
Overall, the competition was a great opportunity to put our finance skills to the test while making friendships along the way!