MIPC asks students to devise decumulation strategies for an inflationary environment

For its 7th edition, the 2023 McGill International Portfolio Challenge (MIPC), as part of McGill’s Sustainable Growth Initiative (SGI), gathered over 80 teams from 27 countries to address retirement challenges amidst inflation. Participants tackled the task of developing decumulation strategies for the fictional Maple Leaf Pension Plan, simulating real-world data.

Top honours went to teams from Chulalongkorn University and Simon Fraser University, with The Chinese University of Hong Kong securing the first runner-up position. Notably, the event recently transitioned to a hybrid format, marking its largest iteration yet. Kami Der-Sahakian, the executive director of the organizing team, shared the responsibility and trust placed in the student organizers, stating, "We are responsible for carrying McGill’s name and ensuring the event is of professional quality."

Zahoor Chughtai, Associate Director of McGill’s SGI, emphasized the MIPC's impact on students' exposure to industry and societal issues. Sebastien Betermier, Associate Professor of Finance at McGill Desautels and the director of MIPC, emphasized the uniqueness of the competition, stating, “MIPC is not a standard case competition. It asks students to tackle critical societal challenges, where the buy-side of finance meets and interacts with the future.”