Ali Alexander, a student from the Management program at the UGM Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB UGM), secured the First Runner-Up position at the 2024 ASEAN Investment Challenge.
The event was organized by CGS International on February 12-13, 2025, at Bursa Malaysia, Exchange Square, Bukit Kewangan, Kuala Lumpur.
The competition involved over 5,000 participants from across the ASEAN region, including Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and other countries.
It wasn’t easy for Alexander. To reach the final round, he had to go through a series of rigorous selection stages, from registration to submitting an investment strategy.
Previously, Alexander competed at the country level from Oct. 21 to Nov. 29, 2024. Fortunately, he was declared the overall winner after surpassing thousands of other students from various universities in Indonesia, earning him a spot as one of Indonesia’s representatives at the regional level.
“The top three participants from each country were given the opportunity to compete again in the final round,” he said at FEB UGM, Wednesday (Mar. 3).
Alexander explained that in this competition, each participant was required to design an optimal investment strategy to maximize returns in the face of economic uncertainties.
One of the main challenges was building a stock portfolio that not only provided a return higher than the IHSG Composite Index but also adhered to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles.
“The portfolio had to have a high margin of safety and be able to capitalize on opportunities from corporate actions, such as mergers or acquisitions,” he explained.
Under the guidance of Dr. I Wayan Nuka Lantara, Professor Tandelilin Eduardus, Dr. Rr Tur Nastiti, and Dr. Eddy Junarsin, Alexander was able to overcome the challenges by applying a strategy based on deep fundamental analysis.
In designing the portfolio, Alexander prioritized stocks from companies with high growth potential but whose share prices were lower than their intrinsic value.
This strategy, he said, minimized the risk of price declines while increasing the potential for returns.
Alexander was also praised for seizing opportunities from corporate actions, such as mergers or acquisitions, which often led to significant increases in stock price.
“This strategy proved effective during certain trading periods and delivered performance far superior to the market index,” he stated.
The judges concluded that Alexander’s portfolio, with its measured approach, not only outperformed the IHSG but also aligned with the ESG principles, a key requirement of the competition.
“I remained calm and focused throughout the competition, allowing me to overcome various challenges. I am grateful for the support from many parties who helped me prepare for this competition,” Alexander concluded.
Reporters: FEB UGM/Orie Priscylla Mapeda Lumalan and Kurnia Ekaptiningrum
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya