The Jaya Consulting team from the Faculty of Economics and Management (FEB UGM) won the 1st runner-up at the HSBC Indonesia Business Case Competition 2025 held in Jakarta from April 26 to 29, 2025. The Jaya Consulting team consisted of four students from the Management Study Program 2022: Vittorio Valero Salim, Michael Handoyo, Risang Mar’atun Sholihah, and Darwin Tandjo, with their supervisor, Azellia Alma Shafira, S.E., M.Sc.
The HSBC Indonesia Business Case Competition is a prestigious annual business competition in Indonesia, organized by PT Bank HSBC Indonesia in partnership with Putera Sampoerna Foundation. This year, 24 teams from prominent universities across Indonesia participated in the competition.
Azellia Alma Shafira, S.E., M.Sc., the team’s supervisor, said this achievement resulted from the students’ hard work and dedication. Before the competition, the FEB students underwent intensive training with guidance and mentoring from various experts.
“This achievement is the result of the hard work of the students who underwent intensive training for several weeks. Even though the training coincided with the Eid holidays and mid-term exams, they showed great dedication to following mentoring sessions with HSBC, public speaking training, and coaching to refine their theories with FEB faculty. The students’ perseverance and the support system they received became the key to their success,” she said in an interview on Friday (May 2, 2025).
Team leader Vittorio Valero Salim said the competition presented unique challenges compared to other competitions. The team had to create a presentation deck in just three hours, without internet access, and present it directly to the judges. This made their preparation intense as they tried to simulate real-life conditions as closely as possible.
The competition consisted of three rounds. In the first round, they had to solve a case related to finance and investment before a company’s initial public offering (IPO), followed by a team presentation. Despite feeling overwhelmed, Vittorio said the team could adapt quickly and move on to the next round.
In the second round, they had to present again with the same deck to a different set of judges. They prepared more thoroughly for this round with the help of their coaches, Azellia Alma Shafira, S.E., M.Sc., and Rijadh Djatu Winardi, S.E., M.Sc., Ph.D. In the third or semi-final round, they tackled a marketing-related case. This stage was highly anticipated as it offered a better chance of advancing to the final round.
The final stage was the most emotional for the team, as it tested their skills and mental resilience. In this round, they had to solve a case that involved negotiating an acquisition and communicating about public perception. Vittorio admitted that the team was not completely satisfied with their performance in the final round. However, they were surprised when they were announced as the first runner-up.
“When the announcement came, we were quite shocked because the judges trusted us to be the first runner-up in this competition. For me, this is not just about the competition, but about how our mental strength and willingness to face real business problems were tested,” he said.
He shared that time constraints were the most significant challenge during the preparation. However, they prioritized their preparation for the competition by efficiently organizing the team’s practice schedule. According to Vittorio, mental toughness and mutual trust among the team members were key factors in facing each competition stage.
In addition to intensive guidance and training from their faculty, the Jaya Consulting team also received support from FEB UGM’s Career and Student Development Unit (CSDU), which provided public speaking training, case analysis, and other business and finance-related materials. In addition to support from FEB UGM, the team also received mentoring from HSBC’s management team, including Irene Wiguno and Yohana Maureen.
In conclusion, Vittorio expressed his gratitude and happiness for the experience and achievement they have gained. He believes that the courage to step out of one’s comfort zone and go through the process always leads to something special. This was proven in this competition, which brought them success, valuable experiences, and new friends.
“We gained a lot of lessons and new perspectives, even winning second place. We felt no disappointment when we returned to Yogyakarta, so ‘happy’ is the right word to describe our experience in this competition,” he concluded.
Report by: Najwah Ariella Puteri
Editor: Kurnia Ekaptiningrum
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