The Champions of the Christine Ennew Business Challenge 2016, Team EDGE, receiving their trophy and certificate from Dato' Hooi Lai Lin, CEO/Director of Ken-Rich Corporation (third from left) and Professor Christine Ennew (far right).
The Grand Finals of the Inaugural Christine Ennew Business Challenge Trophy 2016, sponsored by Ken-Rich Corporation, was held on 29 February 2016 at the Great Hall, The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus.
The competition was organised in conjunction with the 15th Anniversary of The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC) with the aim of offering UNMC students a professional experience and an opportunity to participate in a real-life business project. Contestants were required to develop a business plan on the theme 'Male Toiletries for Daily Personal Care', to be pitched to Ken-Rich Corporation, an established manufacturer of household, industrial and personal care products.
The Panel of Judges for the Grand Finals consisted of Dato' Hooi Lai Lin, CEO/Director of Ken-Rich Corporation, who was also the Chief Judge; Professor Christine Ennew, Provost of UNMC; Dr Nishanth Chemmangattuvalappil, Associate Professor, Faculty of Engineering, UNMC; Professor Claire O'Malley, Dean of the Faculty of Science, UNMC; and Professor Ong Fon Sim, Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, UNMC.
At the Grand Finals, five teams, who had been selected out of 12 teams at the preliminary rounds, pitched their business plans and complete advertisements promoting their products, to the Panel of Judges. Each team fielded questions from the Panel of Judges that tested the contestants' knowledge of product communication and promotion, as well as business strategy and analysis.
The Champion, and recipient of the inaugural Christine Ennew Business Challenge Trophy, was Team EDGE, consisting of Business School students Fabiolla Netto, Evonne Chen May Yie and John Wong Yoong Wern, won themselves an all-expenses paid trip to The University of Nottingham, UK.
During the announcement of the winners by Professor Lee Chew Ging, Dean of Nottingham University Business School Malaysia, Chief Judge Dato' Hooi Lai Lin also announced a 'surprise' Second Prize - a cash prize of RM3,000 sponsored by Ken-Rich Corporation. The recipient of the Second Prize was Team J&J - Liau Haw Yuan, Natalie Liew Jia Yi and Tang Yingjie.
"Business challenge competitions present students with a great opportunity for experiential learning; such events are an opportunity to work collaboratively, to think innovatively and to develop creative solutions to business problems," said Professor Christine Ennew, who is also Professor of Marketing at Nottingham University Business School Malaysia.
In her closing remarks, the Chief Judge, Dato' Hooi, commended the quality of the performance of all the finalist teams and their innovative product ideas, remarking that in the practice of marketing and communications, it is important to note that "attitude drives altitude".
"UNMC would like to express its deep gratitude to Dato’ Hooi Lai Lin and Ken-Rich Corporation for sponsoring this competition and providing our students with a great opportunity to learn about some of the real challenges that business face." said Professor Ennew.
Image Caption: The Champions of the Christine Ennew Business Challenge Trophy 2016, Team EDGE, receiving their trophy and certificate from Dato' Hooi Lai Lin, CEO/Director of Ken-Rich Corporation (third from left) and Professor Christine Ennew (far right).
More information is available from Dr Dilip Mutum, Associate Professor of Marketing (dilip.mutum@nottingham.edu.my) or Ms Chan Wen Li, Director of Information and Communications, Business School (wenli.chan@nottingham.edu.my).
Posted on 13th March 2016