The IFSA Network formerly known as the International Finance Students Association Network, is a global non-profit network of finance student associations to help student members develop the skills and contacts to be active in the financial market. It is exclusively run by students.[1] It was initially based at the Rotterdam School of Management.
The network operates under a decentralized yet cohesive organizational structure and is split into regional chapters.
History
The International Finance Student Association traces its roots back to 2014 in Rotterdam, specifically at the Rotterdam School of Management.[2] The initial purpose of the network was to create a community for individuals studying Finance, fostering connections both amongst themselves and with established figures in the financial sector.
A new structure was brought in from the 2024-25 tenure to better deal with the delegation of responsibilities as the network continued to expand. The leadership team now consists of a three-member board - the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Treasurer - and a five-member Executive Committee, comprising the respective heads of APAC, EMEA and LATAM, Head of Communications and Head of Operations.
Structure
Chapters
The IFSA Network operates under a decentralized yet cohesive organizational structure[3] designed to balance local autonomy with global coordination. Situated in educational institutions across the world, the individual chapters serve as semi-independent units,[4] each governed by their own board comprising at least a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, and General Secretary.[5] These boards manage day-to-day operations and supervise regional activities[6] tailored to meet the specific needs and interests of their local student bodies. Chapters also usually have specialized departments, such as Finance, Marketing, and Events, each headed by a department manager who oversees a team of analysts.
From 2024-25, the leadership team was changed to of a three-member board - the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Treasurer - and a five-member Executive Committee, comprising the respective heads of APAC, EMEA and LATAM, Head of Communications and Head of Operations.
The Board
Tenure
Chairperson
Vice-Chairperson
Treasurer
2025-2026
Sneha Koley (IFSA NIT Trichy)
Sviatoslav Akimov (IFSA NES BFS)
Arunava Bhattacharya (IFSA IIT Kharagpur)
2024-2025
Danel Aibolatova (IFSA Warsaw)
Riddhimaa Biyani (IFSA IIT Kharagpur)
Tushar Vigh (IFSA BITS Pilani)
The Executive Committee
Tenure
Head of Operations
Head of Communication
Head of APAC
Head of EMEA
Head of LATAM
2025-2026
Shreyarn Moitra (IFSA NIT Trichy)
Sabreen K. Shergill (IFSA LSR)
Rohan Gupta (IFSA DTU)
Reena Tandon (IFSA Cooper Union)
Daniel Fernando Rubiano Zapata (IFSA ICESI)
2024-2025
Kavya Kathuria (IFSA LSR)
Alina Selyanina (IFSA Geneva)
Ankur Soni (IFSA BITS Pilani)
Alp Mete Zincirli (IFSA Rotterdam)
Sebastian Alrgarrra Rojas (IFSA Sergio Arboleda)
Key initiatives
Traders' Cup
The IFSA Trader’s Cup is the world’s largest student run trading challenge.[7] All people studying in a recognised university are free to participate. The competition relies on securities trading, and aims to give students an opportunity to distinguish themselves from the competition. The competition is held once per academic year, starting in spring of 2016. For the second edition of the competition, students from more than 35 universities, located in 28 countries on 6 continents competed.[citation needed]
Global Case Competition at Harvard
The Global Case Competition at Harvard[8] is the world’s most prestigious case competition organized by students.[9] During the first edition, a team from HEC Paris,[10] a leading French university, won the challenge.[11] The second edition was won by the London Business School.[12]
Local venues
The various IFSA Network chapters try to offer their communities various local events to connect with the professional world.[13] Often, an industry professional will come to the IFSA Network events and meet students. The purpose of those venues is to give students a taste of the professional world, share tips and knowledge, and give an opportunity to network.
Boston Consulting Group Case Competition
In 2018, the IFSA Network in cooperation with the Boston Consulting Group and InvestSoc, organised the first, three-week long International Cape Town Case Competition. The competition has a unique[citation needed] format where teams consisting of 2 to 4 participants, propose solutions for crises that are presented to them. In their solutions, participants are able to showcase their knowledge, creativity and problem-solving skills on a current macroeconomic issue. A jury picks the 15 best international teams and the best local teams, from Cape Town. The selected teams arrive in Cape Town, South Africa, to participate in the second round, and present in front of a select panel. The winning team is awarded a cash prize of 5000 South African Rand.
Chapters
It has established chapters in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Russia, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, and India among other locations. These chapters focus on providing localized resources, events, workshops, and competitions aimed at career development and knowledge acquisition in finance. As of 2023, The IFSA Network has the following chapters:[14]
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