On November 23rd, as a part of the plan of events dedicated the 100th anniversary of the birth of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the final stage of the "Stock Pitch" competition, initiated by SOFAZ for the students was held.

A stock pitch is a concise presentation of an investment idea for a particular stock. Participating teams in this competition are required to choose a stock based on specific characteristics, conduct analyses considering both quantitative and qualitative indicators of that stock, and present the analysis results convincingly as an investment proposal.

Addressing the audience, Bahruz Bahramov, Adviser to CEO of SOFAZ, mentioned the events held at the Fund throughout the year as part of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev who played an invaluable role and made significant contributions to the formation and development of the history of modern Azerbaijani statehood. Bahruz Bahramov stated that, the State Oil Fund is pleased to contribute to the development of the country's young talent and create opportunities for students and graduates to benefit from internship programs and work opportunities at the investment institution, which holds a crucial mission for the Azerbaijani people.

Nargiz Nasrullayeva-Muduroglu, Adviser to CEO of SOFAZ, elaborated on the principles of "ESG"(environmental, social, governance ), their application possibilities, and SOFAZ's approach to this concept.

During the event, Israfil Mammadov, the Executive Director of SOFAZ, conducted a meeting with the finalists and discussed their educational and career goals. Answering the questions of the students, the Executive Director congratulated them and shared his recommendations.

A total of 28 teams, comprising 16 local and 12 foreign university students and graduates, applied to participate in the competition. From 8 teams that reached the semi-final stage of the competition held on November 20th, only 4 qualified for the final. The jury evaluated teams based on their presentations, investment selection and analytical analysis skills, as well as their preparedness for the question-and-answer session.

In the battle for the first place, the team "Team Markowitz" (ADA University) was the winner of the competition and earned 7000 AZN by the jury's decision. The second-place winner was the team "Cash me if you can," and the third-place winner was the team "Birja Turtles" (Azerbaijan State University of Economics), receiving cash prizes of 5000 AZN and 3000 AZN, respectively. Certificates and medals were presented to the competition winners.