17/10/2024
The Faculty of Business and Management is thrilled to congratulate Midori Consulting of UCSI Consulting Club for their outstanding performance at SIBC 2024. We are incredibly proud of their achievement as first runner-up overall, first runner-up in the 24-hour case, and of our student, Ms. Pua Wei Fang (Financial Economics), for winning the prestigious Best Speaker award at the Sydney International Business Competition (SIBC) 2024. This competition was effectively coordinated and managed by the Sydney Consulting Club (SCC), the premier consulting society at the University of Sydney Business School (https://business.sydney.edu.au/sibc). Midori Consulting was composed of three other members: Josephine Andrea Madolen (International and Sustainable Business), Cheng Yi Xuan, and Chey Shuan Moon (Business Administration).
It is common for the worldâs top business schools to host high-level international business case competitions, many of which are by exclusive invitation. UCSI University has participated in several competitions, including the HSBC/HKU Asia Pacific Business Case Competition (Hong Kong), the Asian Business Case Competition (Singapore), the Chulalongkorn International Business Case Competition (Thailand), and the Global Business Case Challenge (Japan). However, this was our first invitation beyond Asia, marking a significant milestone. We are sincerely grateful to the SCC faculty advisor, Dr. Wes Hamilton-Jessop, and SCC for placing their trust in us.
*Sydney International Business Competition*
SIBC 2024 welcomed twelve elite international teams from across the globe:
Australia and New Zealand: University of Sydney, University of Technology Sydney, University of Otago
Northern Europe: Copenhagen Business School
Central Europe: Corvinus University of Budapest, University of MĂźnster
North America: University of Washington-Seattle
Western Asia: American University of Beirut
East Asia: City University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Southeast Asia: UCSI University
The six-day event challenged teams in two rounds of competitionâa 6-hour case and a 24-hour case. Teams were divided into three pools, with winners from each pool advancing to compete for the overall championship. The final champion was determined based on the teams' combined performances across both rounds.
6-Hour Case
Midori Consulting competed in Pool A, tackling challenges presented by Communiteer (https://communiteer.org/), a Sydney-based social enterprise that mobilizes volunteers to address complex social issues. Teams were asked to propose solutions for Communiteerâs âLive in NSWâ program, which helps new international students integrate into the Australian community through volunteering, empowering them to become future leaders.
The case cracking took place at Central Sydney Hotel, followed by presentations at the University of Sydney Business School (Abercrombie Building). Corvinus University of Budapest resonated more with the judges, ultimately winning the 6-hour case competition.
24-Hour Case
In the 24-hour case, Midori Consulting competed in Pool B, working on a complex business challenge for Telstra, Australiaâs leading telecommunications company, with a market capitalization of approximately AUD 44 billion (as of 30 June 2024). The teams were tasked with proposing how Telstra could enhance its Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to maximize value.
After intense work at Central Sydney Hotel, teams had 19 hours to finalize their presentations. The final presentations took place at the University of Sydney Business School (Sydney CBD Campus). This time, Midori Consultingâs proposal resonated better with the judging panel, leading them to top Pool B.
In the final round, they competed against Copenhagen Business School and American University of Beirut. After a 15-minute presentation followed by a dynamic Q&A session, Midori Consulting was thankful to be selected as the first runner-up and bagged the Best Speaker award, a testament to their hard work.
With this remarkable achievement, the Faculty of Business and Management is confident that the experience of visiting world-class institutions like the University of Sydney and University of Technology Sydney during the trip to Sydney, connecting with top students globally, and interacting with industry leaders will inspire our students to continue pushing boundaries and pursuing their dreams. We remain steadfast in our commitment to shaping tomorrowâs leaders.
*Midori Consulting and UCSI Consulting Club (UCC)*
Midori Consulting is the name used by UCC when competing in business case competitions. Understanding the immense value of practical, out-of-class experiences in fostering future leaders, the Faculty of Business and Management established UCC, under the guidance of faculty advisor Assistant Prof. Foo Fang Ee. As a club, UCC prepares students for both domestic and international case competitions, connects them with mentors from various universities, and supports them in their career journeys. UCC also benefits from the support of returning alumni, who assist in training students and preparing them for international competitions. This is perfectly aligned with UCSI Universityâs PRAXIS approach, which ensures that graduates not only excel academically but are also equipped with industry-relevant experience, ready to thrive in their careers.
We wholeheartedly congratulate UCC and Assistant Prof. Foo for Midori Consultingâs success.
The faculty hopes this recent achievement will spur more students to join UCC, and we wish continued success for UCC and Midori Consulting in future competitions.
Learn more about UCC:
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ucsiconsultingclub/
