Media Release

Singapore Management University students emerge big winners at Singapore final of the CIMA 2015 Global Business Challenge, SMU’s third win in as many years in the competition

Singapore, July 10, 2015 (Friday) - Singapore Management University students triumphed in the Singapore final of the CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) 2015 Global Business Challenge with two groups taking top spots; first and second runner-up. It is the third consecutive year in which the university has won the Singapore round.

Third-year undergraduates, Feng Lu Wei, Tan Jhun Boon, Samuel Tan and Han Meng Siew who make up the team called ‘Tueur Consulting’ were crowned champions after they beat three other teams in the country to emerge top winners. ‘JCUS’ from James Cook University were first runner-up. The SMU students will represent Singapore at the global final in Warsaw, Poland from 3-7 August 2015.

Another group of SMU students also did the university proud. Accountancy students Ng Wei Xuan, Yang Chong Yu, Ong Ding Yuan and Soh Jie Qi collectively known as ‘OneConsulting’ edged out Nanyang Technological University’s ‘NTURage Consulting’ team to claim the third spot.

This year’s contest attracted some 35 teams of more than 130 undergraduates. Only four teams were shortlisted to present at the final.

The CIMA Global Business Challenge is an international business management competition designed to showcase the best in the next generation of business leaders.

To reach the final, teams presented their solutions to a real-life business scenario based on the oil and gas industry. They were challenged to act as management consultants, analysing and evaluating various issues facing a hypothetical exploration and production company. They were also tasked to produce a report addressing the challenges and take part in a question-and-answer session before a panel of judges.

“The (business) case itself is highly technical, set within an extremely complex oil and gas industry. I am very happy with what we have come up with and I believe we are all very excited to represent Singapore in Poland,” said Feng who is pursuing a double degree in Accountancy and Business Management.

In addition to the invaluable opportunity to pit their business skills against the best and brightest of their peers from around the world at the final, ‘Tueur Consulting’ won S$1000 cash prize in total and a CIMA scholarship for all team four members.

Second-time participant and winner Samuel Tan shared his thoughts about the intangible benefits from taking part in competitions like the CIMA Global Business Challenge. “Participating in last year’s CIMA Global Business Challenge, I had the opportunity to build global connections. My team hit it off with the Australian team and we have been keeping in touch with them ever since!”

Tan and his teammates are confident of doing well at the global final next month. All four are experienced and had excelled in other international business competitions they participated in.

Han Meng Siew, who was part of a team who came in second in the grand finals of Hong Kong Federation of Business Students KPMG Business Administration Paper held last year said, “Our team has worked together on many occasions, and we are familiar with the working styles of one another. I hope that with the vast business case experience that we have, coupled with the camaraderie within our team, we will be able to bring the CIMA Global Championship trophy back to SMU, and also for Singapore, just in time for our Golden Jubilee celebrations!"

Professor Pang Yang Hoong, SMU Vice Provost (Undergraduate and Student Development) said, 'I would like to commend our students on their outstanding performance and congratulate ‘Tueur Consulting’ on becoming this year's Singapore champions at the CIMA Global Business Challenge 2015. I am very pleased and proud that in the past three years, SMU students have not once but thrice won this round of the challenge to represent Singapore on the world stage. I wish this year’s team all the very best in the global final in Warsaw, Poland.’

‘Tueur Consulting’ will compete against teams from 25 other countries including Australia, Mainland China, Ghana, Hong Kong  SAR, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Russia, South Africa, the UK and Zambia.

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About Singapore Management University

A premier university in Asia, the Singapore Management University (SMU) is internationally recognised for its world-class research and distinguished teaching. Established in 2000, SMU’s mission is to generate leading-edge research with global impact and produce broad-based, creative and entrepreneurial leaders for the knowledge-based economy. SMU education is known for its highly interactive, collaborative and project-based approach to learning, and for its technologically enabled pedagogy of seminar-style teaching in small class sizes.

Home to around 8,800 undergraduate, postgraduate, executive and professional, full- and part-time students, SMU is comprised of six schools: School of Accountancy, Lee Kong Chian School of Business, School of Economics, School of Information Systems, School of Law, and School of Social Sciences. SMU offers a wide range of bachelors', masters' and PhD degree programmes in the disciplinary areas associated with the six schools, as well as in interdisciplinary combinations of these areas.

SMU has an emphasis on generating rigorous, high-impact, and relevant multi-disciplinary research that addresses Asian issues of global relevance.  SMU faculty members collaborate with leading international researchers and universities from USA, Europe, China and India, as well as with partners in the business community and public sector, through its research institutes, centres and labs. SMU’s city campus is a state-of-the art facility located in the heart of downtown Singapore, fostering strategic linkages with business, government and the wider community.www.smu.edu.sg