Dubai International Academy Outclasses Hundreds of Teams to Reach the Finals of Elite Wharton Business School Investment Competition

The DIA team will compete with 50 other global finalists in the Wharton Global High School Investment Competition

Dubai, UAE; 7  March 2021: The team from Dubai International Academy (DIA), Emirates Hills, is the only GCC region team to qualify for the global finals of the University of Pennsylvania’s prestigious Wharton Global High School Investment Competition, an annual contest for high school teachers and students run by the School’s Wharton Global Youth Program. 

The Wharton Investment Competition initially attracted over 2,000 teams. The DIA team, The Wolves of Wall Street – comprising Raghav Chutani, Sharzeh Baqar, Ahad Khot and Dhruv Meisheri – were among the 10 finalists in Region 2 of the competition, a tough field comprising of other GCC Countries, Indian Subcontinent and SEA Countries. Judges from Philadelphia based Asset Management firm, Aberdeen Standard Investments selected the finalists.  

Participating teams are tasked with working collaboratively to meet a client’s short- and long-term investment goals and try to win their business. Equipped with an approved stock list and the Wharton Investment Simulator (WInS), which allows them to buy and sell stocks, students develop an investment strategy, analyze industries and companies, and build a portfolio using $100,000 in virtual cash. Unlike other stock games, this competition’s winners are selected on the strength and creativity of their team investment strategies, not on the growth of their stock portfolios.

Jayne Needham, DIA Principal said: "These dedicated students are a force to be reckoned with and have very bright futures. The support offered by their teacher and mentor as well as by a DIA alumnus Carl Vinter, is inspirational, ensuring continued success in new generations of students. They all embody the school motto 'Dream, Inspire, Achieve' and we are proud of their approach and of their success."

Hitesh Bhagat, Head of Secondary School, DIA said: “We are proud of the DIA students who are finalists at the Wharton Global High School Investment Competition. This achievement is a testament to the quality of education we offer, which prepares students for academic success while developing skills and a holistic mindset to prepare for the future with confidence. DIA is the only school in the finals from across the GCC, a region that boasts of several reputed international educational institutions. I congratulate the students as well as their Economics and Business Teacher - Robert Bunyan. 

50 finalist teams were selected from a total of 972 entrants from schools across 35 countries. The regional winning team results will be posted on the Wharton Global Youth Program website in March 2021. The grand prize winner will be announced on May 7, 2021.  
 
“We had more than 5,000 students competing from 35 countries which, underscores our mission to connect high school students and educators around the world with the Wharton School’s many business, finance, and leadership opportunities,” said Serguei Netessine, Wharton’s Dhirubhai Ambani Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and vice dean for Wharton Global Initiatives, which oversees the Wharton Global Youth Program. “Through our competition and other youth programs students demonstrate time and again that innovation transcends borders.” 

“Our team was impressed by the quality of submissions across all regions this year,” said Eli Lesser, executive director of the Wharton Global Youth Program. “Students showcased their strong financial knowledge and teamwork, and many worked hard to understand their potential client as a first step toward developing comprehensive, creative and sound investment strategies.”