31 March - 4 April in Dubai, KPMG conducted the final round of the International Business Case Competition. The French team became the 2009 Champions!

KPMG regularly participates in a number of events for university students that are aimed at shaping the firm's image as the Employer of Choice among top students. This year, ten KPMG offices cooperated to conduct the IBCC 2009, which gave students from different countries an exceptional opportunity to sharpen their commercial awareness, develop their team-work and presentation skills, learn about some of the key challenges facing modern businesses, demonstrate their talents in a competitive situation, and win the title of Champions in Dubai.

The IBCC consisted of two rounds. Each country conducted the first round at its own office. In Russia, the Selection Stage was held on 2 March 2009 at KPMG's Moscow office. Twenty students, selected from more than 300 applicants, were split into four teams. The task was to analyze a business case, "The Global Expansion Strategies of Cyworld, South Korea's Social Networking Site", and work out a strategy for a specific given situation. The team's next step was to present its main ideas to the Jury Panel, which was made up of leading specialists from different KPMG Practices.

The Jury selected four participants from different teams who showed outstanding results. These students then formed the team that went on to the next stage - the International Final, where they represented Russia in a competition with teams from 9 other countries.

Russia's were: Klavdia Badieva (Plekhanov Russian Academy of Economics), Anton Khaburskiy (State University of Management), Vladimir Kozlov (MGIMO) and Serafima Krasnonosova (Moscow State Technical University n.a. N.E. Bauman).

"The thing that impressed me the most was how important teamwork is. I had always known that being a team player is key, but the IBCC showed me the full extent of its meaning", commented Serafima Krasnonosova.
The International Finals took place in Dubai from 31 March to 4 April. Participants assembled for a four-day competition, during which they had many opportunities to gain experience in the resolution of business issues, showcase their knowledge and skills, and meet students from all over the world and begin networking with them.

"Concerning the Final Stage in Dubai: I was amazed by the high level of organization, the quality of all the activities and high standards of the Competition. I would like to thank the organizers. They did a really good job", said Klavdia Badieva.

The first day included a skills sessions and an introduction where teams presented their countries and had an opportunity to communicate with KPMG representatives to find out more about the firm. In the evening, all participants got a chance to socialize and share impressions in an informal atmosphere during a river cruise and sightseeing tour.

The case session began the next day. The task was to find solutions for two case studies: "Carrefour China, Building Ð Greener Store" and "Crescent Standard Investment Bank Limited - Governance Failure". The three most strategic, professional and convincing teams - from Germany, France and UK - were given the chance to compete for the title of Champions 2009 in the second stage of the Competition.

Their last challenge was to present a solution to the "Avid Radiopharmaceutical: The Venture Debt Question" case study to the Jury Panel, made up of leading KPMG specialists from the participating countries. The Jury's decision was based on specific criteria: the most original solution, a clearly structured and professionally delivered presentation, and good performance.

The French team won the title of International Business Case Competition Champions 2009 and a travel voucher worth EUR 2,000. The Award Ceremony took place in the Raffles Hotel, with a Gala reception held at the New Asia Bar. Following the ceremony, everybody enjoyed a great dinner, cocktail party and DJ set, and shared their impressions of the event.

"My strongest impression", said Vladimir Kozlov, "was the sense of globalization and diversity: the team from France, which included members with German and Indian backgrounds, won an International Business Case Competition held by an international company in the United Arab Emirates".

"The IBCC delivers a great value to its participants, and it's a big step towards future success in one's career and personal development", added Serafima Krasnonosova. "It was an exceptional chance to meet a huge number of students with different backgrounds from various countries".

"It's a truly breathtaking experience for any student', concluded Anton Khaburskiy. "I've experienced an immersion into the challenging sphere of professional services and the day-to-day work of a consultant".

We hope that all participants had an unforgettable experience!