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HKUST MBA |
FULL-TIME AND MBAP WEEKLY PROGRAMS
Outstanding Accomplishments of MBA students
Outstanding Accomplishments of MBA students
Two case competition winning teams, full-time students
During the Spring semester, several teams of our full-time students participated in case competitions around the world. Let’s take this opportunity to share some of their experiences and takeaways.
During the Spring semester, several teams of our full-time students participated in case competitions around the world. Let’s take this opportunity to share some of their experiences and takeaways.
The winners-to-be work harded for the competition through practice, identifying strengths, and formulating constructive debates.
Changmin Choi, Ruby He, Alexander Ip and Theodric Wong competed in the IESE–Roland Berger International MBA Case Competition in the beautiful city of Barcelona. The case subject was Pangea, a Spanish offline travel agent. They were one of three Asian business schools in the 10-team competition, and they came out the winners.
They had practiced on previous cases and talked to members from previous teams to set some expectations before they departed, and they found that having a clear understanding of the expectations of the competition, the format, and the judges were keys to their success. Another factor was that they ensured that each team member worked on and presented their strongest and most comfortable area of expertise.
They had practiced on previous cases and talked to members from previous teams to set some expectations before they departed, and they found that having a clear understanding of the expectations of the competition, the format, and the judges were keys to their success. Another factor was that they ensured that each team member worked on and presented their strongest and most comfortable area of expertise.
They are truly appreciative of the opportunity to explore the Catalonian culture and the food and drink that the hosts from IESE and Roland Berger were able to share with the competing teams. In addition, as winners of the competition, they were offered internship opportunities in a management consulting firm – Roland Berger – which they have accepted and will complete over the summer.
Another team consisting of Devansh Goel, Raghav Gupta, Azeem Rashid, and Mariano Trullenque participated in the GIES MBA Strategy Case Competition in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, in the United States. The subject of the 24-hour competition was a not-for-profit company in the music industry. This team from the HKUST was the only international participant to join 13 US-based teams in the competition, and they finished in 3rd place, with Azeem securing the Best Q&A award.
Another team consisting of Devansh Goel, Raghav Gupta, Azeem Rashid, and Mariano Trullenque participated in the GIES MBA Strategy Case Competition in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, in the United States. The subject of the 24-hour competition was a not-for-profit company in the music industry. This team from the HKUST was the only international participant to join 13 US-based teams in the competition, and they finished in 3rd place, with Azeem securing the Best Q&A award.
Tip from the team: don’t be afraid of going radical, whether it’s a business decision or a food choice!
Time management was key in the competition, which demanded a quick understanding of company operations and issues followed by practical and achievable business solutions. The team tackled the case with a methodical approach, applying the teachings of an elective course in the Winter term. The course had equipped the students with the right toolkit, which helped them to structure and prepare the presentation in a short span of time.
Azeem’s Q&A stood out from the rest. The team gave credit to the instructors who helped them polish their verbal and non-verbal communication skills. The professionalism and coordination demonstrated among the team members during the Q&A session was appreciated by the competition’s judges.
Azeem’s Q&A stood out from the rest. The team gave credit to the instructors who helped them polish their verbal and non-verbal communication skills. The professionalism and coordination demonstrated among the team members during the Q&A session was appreciated by the competition’s judges.
With regard to useful tips, the team suggests that one fly in early to beat the jetlag and have a well-structured draft presentation deck prepared in advance to save time. They also placed special emphasis on anticipating potential questions and being prepared to answer them in a structured manner, which proved to be a key differentiator on the presentation day. Finally, take adequate layers to keep yourself warm, because Illinois in February can get very, very cold!
By Jason Wong, Academic Team
By Jason Wong, Academic Team
Herman (in white sweatshirt) shared the fruit’s sweetness with his classmates.
MBAP Year 2 students, Herman Leung’s Start-up Story
A current Year 2 MBAP student, Herman Leung, recently launched his fruit business: the Fantastic Fruit Co Ltd. With his extensive network and management experiences in Cambodia, Herman is the first person to successfully export Cambodian fruits to Hong Kong. Aligned with the belt and road strategy in Cambodia and China, Herman has lately received funding of HK$700,000 from the Hong Kong government to develop his fruit business. To learn more about Herman’s business, please visit his company’s Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Fantastic-Fruit-Co-Ltd-585134558515958
A current Year 2 MBAP student, Herman Leung, recently launched his fruit business: the Fantastic Fruit Co Ltd. With his extensive network and management experiences in Cambodia, Herman is the first person to successfully export Cambodian fruits to Hong Kong. Aligned with the belt and road strategy in Cambodia and China, Herman has lately received funding of HK$700,000 from the Hong Kong government to develop his fruit business. To learn more about Herman’s business, please visit his company’s Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Fantastic-Fruit-Co-Ltd-585134558515958
By Tatton Chung, MBA Professional Weekly team
