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New Financial Innovation Hub Established at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.

November 21, 2017

Toronto – A new partnership has been launched at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management to promote and develop initiatives for students and faculty in the area of financial innovation across all of the school’s programs.

The Rotman Financial Innovation Hub in Advanced Analytics (Rotman FinHub) will create new classes and learning opportunities for students in financial innovation including machine learning and blockchain in the school’s MBA, Master of Finance, and Master of Financial Risk Management programs as well as supporting scholarships for students interested in the field. The Rotman FinHub will also encourage research in financial innovation by faculty members and promote engagement with the financial industry through conferences and symposiums. The Rotman FinHub will leverage the expertise of Rotman faculty along with existing research centres and will also collaborate with other UofT faculties as well as external financial, economic and technology organizations.

“Given the radical changes currently affecting the finance sector, we believe that our Rotman FinHub initiative will enhance the Rotman School’s leadership position in financial management teaching and research,” says Prof. Peter Christoffersen, TMX Chair in Capital Markets. “It will also help us attract the best researchers as well as students who are interested in studying financial innovation.”

Today at the first event for the Rotman FinHub, it was announced that the initiative will be financially supported by a lead donation by the TD Bank Group of $1 million.

"Data is the engine that will empower Canada's financial industry to develop deeper relationships with our customers. To do this, banks must face a fundamental challenge head-on – we must continue to put our data to work for our customers to give them even more information and more options to build their financial futures, " says Christian Nelissen, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Data and Analytics, TD Bank Group. "To do that we need to foster the development of a strong culture of innovation and the talent to support it. Toronto's FinTech ecosystem is among the best in the world and Rotman and the University of Toronto are leading financial educators – we think that's a powerful combination. We are in this for the long-term and I'm personally very excited about where we're headed and the partnerships, talent and innovations that are going to get us there."

The Rotman FinHub is also supported with a $1.3 million contribution from the Rotman Catalyst Fund, a venture fund to provide seed capital for bold innovations and initiatives within the Rotman School. In addition, the Global Risk Institute in Financial Services is contributing $150,000.

The Rotman School is globally recognized for its programs and research in finance. It offers a highly regarded Master of Finance program for working professionals in the finance industry, a Master of Financial Risk Management for recent university graduates, as well as majors in Risk Management and Financial Engineering, Funds Management, Investment Banking, and Financial Reporting and Analysis in its Full Time and Morning and Evening MBA programs.

Further information on the Rotman FinHub is online at www.rotman.utoronto.ca/FacultyAndResearch/ResearchCentres/FinHub.

The Rotman School of Management is located in the heart of Canada’s commercial and cultural capital and is part of the University of Toronto, one of the world’s top 20 research universities. The Rotman School fosters a new way to think that enables our graduates to tackle today’s global business and societal challenges. For more information, visit www.rotman.utoronto.ca.

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For more information

Ken McGuffin
Manager, Media Relations
Rotman School of Management
University of Toronto
Voice 416.946.3818
E-mail: mcguffin@rotman.utoronto.ca

Rajeev Perera
Coordinator, Events Communications and Media
Rotman School of Management
University of Toronto
E-mail: rajeev.perera@rotman.utoronto.ca

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