Several teams of students from Chula's BBA international program have swept more than ten awards in business plan competitions over the past year, competing against prestigious universities such as the University of Florida, HEC Montréal, University of Alberta, Maastricht University, Nanyang University as well as others. Some of the major events where the Chula BBA team recently won awards include the Indonesia Capital Market Student Studies (ICMSS), UW Global Business Case Competition (UW GBCC), and L’Oreal Brandstorm, among others.
Starting with their participation in the 23rd Indonesia Capital Market Student Studies (ICMSS) held in Indonesia, the Chula BBA team won the top prize and became world champions. This competition is the oldest and largest financial competition related to capital markets in Southeast Asia. Mr. Pon Wanarot, a team representative, stated, "Participating in the 23rd ICMSS was a memorable experience that significantly contributed to our growth. This platform offered the best opportunity for students in the Southeast Asian region to conduct research and develop stock market analyses for their countries and learn about Indonesia’s capital markets. This success far exceeded our expectations and would not have been possible without the support from our faculty advisors and alumni of the BBA Chula program."
Recently, in mid-April 2024, Chula BBA students excelled at the UW Global Business Case Competition (UW GBCC), held at the University of Washington in Seattle, USA. The students won the first-place award in the Short Case and Social Media Challenge categories and were first runners-up in the Team category. The UW GBCC is a global business plan competition with a history spanning over 20 years, attracting teams from top business schools worldwide, including the USA, Canada, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
Miss Papichaya Siriyontrakarn, a team representative, described the two-round competition. The first round involved a 5-hour case collaborating with other universities to strategize Tim Hortons' entry into China. The second round consisted of a 24-hour case focused on planning Costco Wholesale's market entry into Brazil, UAE, and India. She expressed pride in representing Chulalongkorn University and Thailand, particularly when presenting to the company's CEO and top executives.
In preparation for the competition, the team practiced various cases and presented them to professors and alumni to receive feedback and improve their strategies. A key factor in their success was the strong business foundation and excellent analytical skills developed through their education at BBA Chula and regular training with the Chulalongkorn Case Club, which nurtures essential skills for student development.
UW GBCC
Recently, on April 30, 2024, Chula BBA students won the L’Oreal Brandstorm 2024 competition and became the sole representative of Thailand. They were selected from over 160 teams to advance to the global stage. The second-place team was from Thammasat University.
Representatives from the team, Miss Booranee Sonvej and Miss Achiraya Pranomchaikul, commented:
"This year's competition was very challenging as the task was to 'Reinvent the Future of Professional Beauty Through Tech,' focusing on areas not typically targeted by regular customers. Moreover, our strategy had to align with L’Oreal’s commitment to focusing on technology, inclusivity, and sustainability. Winning felt great, and we were proud to fully leverage our capabilities. We want to encourage everyone not to limit their thinking. We believe everyone has potential; it's just about taking action. Regardless of the outcome, the experience is certainly valuable. We are grateful to BBA Chula for providing the knowledge and experience that enabled us to apply what we learned in a real business case competition. We also appreciate the support and encouragement as our team, Loveréal, heads to the global finals in London."
L’OREAL BRANDSTORM
Prof. Dr. Wilert Puriwat, Dean of Chulalongkorn Business School (CBS), stated that the numerous and continuous global awards won by BBA Chula students are a source of pride for Chulalongkorn University and Thailand. The students also host a business plan competition called the “Chulalongkorn International Business Case Competition (CIBCC)”. Scheduled for May 20-26, 2024, this is the only business plan competition in Thailand that utilises real business cases. It offers participants the chance to act as real consultants for actual companies, with the venue changing each year to ensure each case remains fresh and business perspectives to vary. Consequently, this makes it a truly World-Class Business Case Competition in Thailand that uses live cases, not just paper-based ones, aligning with CBS’s vision to be a top World-Class Business School.
Prof. Dr. Wilert Puriwat, Dean of Chulalongkorn Business School (CBS)
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chakrit Duangphatra, Director of BBA Chula International Program, explained that the program has consistently supported students in participating in global business plan competitions by establishing the Case Club and Investment Club. The program encourages participation in platforms organised by internationally recognised educational and professional institutions. This approach allows students to apply the knowledge and experience gained from "Top World-Class Experts” in the classroom to the business world continuously. As a result, BBA Chula students have consistently stood out and won numerous awards at international levels over the years.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chackrit Duangphastra, Director of BBA Chula International Program