CFA Awards for best capital market professionals

The flagship event of the CFA Society Sri Lanka, the CFA Capital Market Awards and Forecast Dinner held recently recognised those setting up benchmarks, spearheading governance and ethics to advance domestic financial markets.

The Best Equity Research Report, Best Investor Relations and the Best Stockbroker Research Team are all reflective of the increasing improvement in quality and depth observed in the markets.

Shehan Bartholomeuz of LOLC Securities was crowned winner for the Best Equity Research Report for research conducted on Central Finance PLC, while the silver was also won by LOLC Securities' Damith Wasantha for his report on Access Engineering and the bronze by the team from Acuity Stockbrokers comprising Chethana Ellapola, Anjula Nawarathna and Anouk Weerasinghe for their report on Textured Jersey Lanka.

Certificates of Commendation were presented for equity research reports on Chevron Lubricants and Ceylon Tobacco Company by Candor Equities' Pasindu Perera and John Keells Stockbrokers' Lourdeena Kudaliyanage.

The key award was evaluated by eminent industry experts in equity markets on financial analysis, valuation, industry overview and competitive landscape, company overview, value drivers and share dynamics and investment risks and recommendations.

Dialog Axiata was hailed from among 16 shortlisted companies, as the entity having the Best Investor Relations for the third consecutive year. NDB won Silver and Sunshine Holdings, Bronze. The Gold for the Best Stock broking research team was won by John Keells Stockbrokering, while Certificates of Commendation were presented to Candor Equities and Capital Alliance Securities.

Managing Director and Head of UK institutional business for Russell Investments UK, Shamindra Perera said, "Twenty years after earning my CFA, I can truly say that having the three letters after my name has been of immense help during my career. Having held many roles at Russell Investments in Sydney, Singapore and London given its wide recognition as the pioneer and world leader in manager research and multi asset, multi-manager investing, my insights gleaned on what makes a good fund manager based on Russell's tried and tested beliefs and research process, will I hope, be of use to fund managers in Sri Lanka." One of the first of two CFAs from Sri Lanka, Shamindra began his career as an investment analyst at Capital Development and Investment Company (CDIC) Colombo and had brief stints at Seylan Merchant Bank and Asia Capital, before joining Russell, which manages $275 billion in assets in mandates across multiple assets classes invested globally.

President, CFA Society Sri Lanka, Sanjay Kulatunga said, "This is by no means an entirely CFA membership driven effort, as a number of industry experts join us each year in varied roles, all collating their knowledge and competencies to maintain the transparency, integrity and high standards expected of the judging and germane processes that ultimately pick the winners."

Kulatunga said he is keen on working with multiple stakeholders to harmonize and synergize efforts and knowledge to continue setting benchmarks for the industry.