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Since its first edition, The Students Challenge by Natixis IM has aimed to offer a realistic and stimulating experience of the asset management world. In an environment where portfolio managers must combine local expertise with a global perspective, this sixth edition further expands its international scope and encourages participation from students across the globe
A unique opportunity to connect with leading affiliated asset managers
The Students Challenge invites teams of five to six students, from diverse institutions and nationalities, to manage a virtual multi-asset portfolio worth $100 million. Their investment universe covers OECD equities and sovereign bonds, with up to 30% in ETFs for diversification. Participants will also be encouraged to develop a strategy that includes private assets, extending their investment approach beyond traditional markets.
Sustainable investing is central to this simulation with demanding ESG criteria integrated into every allocation decision. Each selected team will be mentored by a pair of experts from one of Natixis IM’s affiliated management companies, such as DNCA, Loomis Sayles, Mirova, Ostrum AM, Ossiam, and VEGA Investment Solutions.
“The Students Challenge is far more than a competition; it is a unique platform where future finance professionals can develop their skills in an international and innovative setting,” said Christophe Lanne, Global Chief Operating & Transformation Officer at Natixis IM. “We value diversity in all its forms – academic, cultural and gender – because we are convinced that this diversity is key to developing meaningful solutions to the challenges facing our industry and to meeting our clients’ evolving needs.”
A pathway to an international career
Last year’s edition confirmed the Challenge’s ability to attract exceptional talent from a wide range of backgrounds, with over 350 applications received from universities and business schools across Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia-Pacific. Following the victory of a team from the London Business School, the latest edition brought together twelve finalist teams, including students from the United States, France, Italy, Germany and Morocco.
For French students in particular, The Students Challenge offers a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in an international working environment, collaborate with peers from multiple nationalities, and benefit from mentorship by asset management experts. Building on its strong Franco-American roots, Natixis IM aims to strengthen this transatlantic dimension in the 2025 edition by welcoming a greater number of participants from the United States.
Prestigious partners for an enriched experience
The program is organized in partnership with FactSet and Morningstar Sustainalytics, two major players in the financial industry. Their expertise and advanced tools are made available to participants, providing a unique and authentic professional experience.
"FactSet is honored to empower the next generation of finance professionals through The Students Challenge by Natixis IM” said Goran Skoko, Chief Revenue Officer at FactSet. “By providing participants with FactSet’s cutting-edge data and analytics, we enable them to navigate complex market dynamics and craft innovative, sustainable investment strategies. This program not only prepares students for real-world challenges but also inspires them to become leaders in shaping the future of finance."
Catalina Secreteanu, Managing Director ESG Solutions at Morningstar Sustainalytics said :
“Morningstar Sustainalytics is committed to promoting responsible investing. This program is an excellent opportunity for students to apply ESG principles to portfolio management, a field that is essential to the future of finance. We look forward to discovering the innovative solutions that the teams will develop.”
Schedule and Registration
Registrations for the 6th edition of The Students Challenge will be open from Tuesday, 4 November 2025, to 26 November 2025. Interested students are encouraged to form diverse teams and submit their applications before the deadline. Twelve teams will be selected to take part in the portfolio management simulation, which will run from February to April 2026.
The final will take place in Paris in June 2026, where the three top-performing teams will present their strategies and results before an international panel of experts.
Registration link: The Students Challenge by Natixis Investment Managers 2026 | Crowdsignal.com
Natixis Investment Managers
Stéphanie Mallet Dufour
stephanie.mallet@natixis.com
06 23 94 60 61
Géraldine Mateos
geraldine.mateos@natixis.com
07 78 11 56 15
Steele & Holt
Esteban Mayan
esteban@steeleandholt.com
06 31 92 22 82
Rosalie Porquet
rosalie@steeleandholt.com
06 84 81 65 60
About Natixis Investment Managers
Natixis Investment Managers’ multi-affiliate approach connects clients to the independent thinking and focused expertise of more than 15 active managers. Ranked among the world’s largest asset managers¹ with more than $1.4 trillion assets under management² (€1.2 trillion), Natixis Investment Managers specializes in high-conviction active investment strategies, insurance and pension solutions, and private assets, and delivers a diverse offering across asset classes, styles, and vehicles. The firm partners with clients in order to understand their unique needs and provide insights and investment solutions tailored to their long-term goals.
Headquartered in Paris and Boston, Natixis Investment Managers is part of Groupe BPCE, the second-largest banking group in France through the Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne retail networks. Natixis Investment Managers’s affiliated investment management firms include AEW; DNCA Investments³; Flexstone Partners; Gateway Investment Advisers; Harris | Oakmark; Investors Mutual Limited; Loomis, Sayles & Company; Mirova; Naxicap Partners; Ossiam; Ostrum Asset Management; Seventure Partners; Thematics Asset Management; Vauban Infrastructure Partners; Vaughan Nelson Investment Management; VEGA Investment Solutions and WCM Investment Management. Additionally, investment solutions are offered through Natixis Investment Managers Solutions and Natixis Advisors, LLC. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit Natixis Investment Managers’ website at im.natixis.com | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/natixis-investment-managers.
Natixis Investment Managers’ distribution and service groups include Natixis Distribution, LLC, a limited purpose broker-dealer and the distributor of various US registered investment companies for which advisory services are
provided by affiliated firms of Natixis Investment Managers, Natixis Investment Managers International (France), and their affiliated distribution and service entities in Europe and Asia.
1 Survey respondents and publicly available data ranked by Investment & Pensions Europe/Top 500 Asset Managers 2025
ranked Natixis Investment Managers as the 20th largest asset manager in the world based on assets under management as of December 31, 2024.
2 Assets under management (AUM) of affiliated entities measured as of June 30, 2025, are $1,497.7 billion (€1,275.8 billion). AUM, as reported, may include notional assets, assets serviced, gross assets, assets of minority-owned affiliated entities and other types of nonregulatory AUM managed or serviced by firms affiliated with Natixis Investment Managers.
3 A brand of DNCA Finance.