From Chicago to Amsterdam, MBA students from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto have been taking top prizes at recent international business competitions.
In mid-November, a team of MBAs from the Rotman School competed in and won the Kellogg Business Design Challenge. The competition, hosted by the Kellogg School of Management’s Innovation and Design Association (IDEA), opened its doors to students outside of Kellogg for the first this this year. During the event, students gain experience using design thinking to solve real-world business challenges.
This year’s competition revolved around P&G’s Pampers line and their education program for pre and neonatal health. Students on the Rotman team defeated 27 other teams from schools around the world to take first place. It’s possible the Rotman students were seeking revenge: in April a team from Kellogg walked away with top prize at the Rotman Business Design Challenge.
Within the week, Rotman MBAs took home another important win—at the Rotterdam School of Management Private Equity Competition. The event, which took place in Amsterdam, required defeating teams from such well-regarded business schools as IESE, Georgetown University, and INSEAD. The team included five Rotman MBA students that are members of the Rotman Asset Management Association.
The annual competition invites students from the best universities around the globe to gain hands-on experience working in Private Equity, in addition to connecting with top professionals in the industry. The case this year asked students to participate in a live transaction surrounding HEMA, a long-standing Dutch retailer, in which the private equity sponsor sought strategic exit options.