Thomas Cha

Biography

Professor Cha joined NYU Stern in 2015 and loves working with students to unlock their potential. His priority is understanding what objectives his students hope to accomplish and helping them achieve their goals by creating a helpful course applicable to telecom, media, and technology (“TMT”) corporate situations involving valuation, financing, investing, and strategy. Professor Cha is always reading, learning, and thinking about strategy and financial models in TMT industries.

Professor Cha is currently an Investment Analyst covering telecom, media, and technology industries at Schroder Investment Management, a global asset manager with over $900 billion of assets under management. Spanning the globe across 37 countries. Professor Cha joined Schroder Investment Management in 2003 and was promoted to First Vice President in March 2006.

Professor Cha’s current responsibilities as an investment analyst at Schroders are not just about investment analysis. His domain – the telecom, media, and technology (TMT) sector, representing a significant portion of the U.S. investable universe – demands more than the typical analysis. His responsibilities far surpass spreadsheets and jargon. He delves into the intricate narratives of quarterly earnings, investor presentations, and mega-deals like mergers and spin-offs, formulating investment opportunities and minimizing risk.

The TMT landscape has constantly evolved, and that is where he thrives. Professor Cha enjoys dissecting complex situations, predicting transformative forces, and paving new paths to growth. Professor Cha breaks down complex problems into actionable solutions through extensive research and insightful interpretation. His analysis is more than just a collection of data. Each data point and analysis is a piece of a puzzle in a large picture, a story revealing the shape of things to come.

His career has been defined by close communications with C-suite executives at portfolio companies and navigating the ever-changing landscapes of fast-evolving industries. This constant evolution demands more than technical expertise; it requires business acumen and strategic insights. The industries he navigates are no longer familiar; they are volatile and demand swift pivots for survival. Witnessing companies disappear or merge has become commonplace, continuously pushing him to relearn and reimagine the future. As an investment analyst, he holds the gatekeeper role for capital allocation, granting him a front-row seat to strategic decisions and executive insights. This vantage point has instilled in him the importance of open communication – values he eagerly shares with his students. In addition, his passion for dissecting the intricacies of complex deals and his technical expertise in financial analysis, debt analysis, and industry-specific valuations, honed through practical experience, will prove invaluable to his students, fostering an enriching learning environment.

Before joining Schroders, Professor Cha held various positions with ABN AMRO Telecom, Media & Technology Banking Group as an Assistant Vice President in 2001 and Associate in 2000. He participated in transactions involving leading telecommunications, media, and technology companies. Professor Cha also held various positions with DKB's Media & Communications Group in New York. At DKB, Professor Cha authored a whitepaper on film finance and the motion picture industry. He has also extensively researched the evolution of digital media, the 5G mobile technology, the geopolitics in the semiconductor ecosystem, and e-sports.

Professor Cha is a CFA charter holder. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from Boston University and graduated from the General Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Research Interests

• Corporate Valuation
• Capital Markets & Corporate Finance
• Corporate Strategy
• Digital Media & Technology
• Platform Economics
• Innovation

Courses Taught

• Financial Analysis in Telecom, Media and Technology (FINC GB 3126.10)
• Financial Analysis in Telecom, Media and Technology (FINC UB 68)

Academic Background

B.A.
Boston University

CFA
CFA Institute

General Management Program
Harvard Business School