Paragon Consultants to represent Sri Lanka at 2015 CIMA GBC Global Finals in Poland

The winners, Sirimevan Jayasundera, Piyumi Bandaranayake, Hasindu Siyambalape and Chamanthi Jayaweera, from Paragon Consultants, University of Moratuwa

CIMA Sri Lanka Board Deputy Chairman Manjula de Silva was the Chief Guest at the event

The CIMA Global Business Challenge, an international business competition for undergraduates designed to bring out the best in aspiring business leaders, was concluded with Paragon Consultants from the University of Moratuwa declared winners at the Sri Lanka Country Finals. Paragon Consultants is represented by Sirimevan Jayasundera, Piyumi Bandaranayake, Hasindu Siyambalape and Chamanthi Jayaweera, and will move on to represent Sri Lanka at the 2015 CIMA Global Business Challenge Global Finals in Poland.      

Contestants work in teams of four, demonstrating their abilities in business management and analysis. The competition task required the teams to initially present a report on a business case pertaining to the oil and gas industry which was a demanding task due to the sheer unfamiliarity of the industry in the country. Thereafter four of the short listed teams made presentations and it was encouraging to note that each team had conducted extensive research and presented meticulously thought-out business cases which were well articulated.  

One team from the University of Colombo and three teams from the University of Moratuwa reached the top four places in the Country Finals, from a total of 75 teams across 14 universities which registered for the competition this year.  

Paragon Consultants’ lively and creative presentation impressed the judges the most. Of the other three teams, Adroit Consultants from the University of Moratuwa were awarded First Runners Up, Corporate Analysts from the University of Colombo the Second Runners Up and The Alpha Squad from the University of Moratuwa became the Third Runners Up. Malsha Wickramasinghe from Corporate Analysts was recognised as the Best Speaker of the competition.

CIMA Sri Lanka Board Deputy Chairman Manjula de Silva, who graced the event as the Chief Guest, commenting on the competition this year stated, “This year’s representatives from Sri Lanka will be strong contenders. With last year’s team from Sri Lanka having won the 2014 CIMA GBC Global Finals, this year’s team will enter the finals with an impressive reputation behind them.” In 2014, the Sri Lankan team (from the University of Colombo) was judged the best amongst the 24 participating teams by a  judging panel consisting of top finance professionals from Barclays, Siemens, SABMiller and CIMA to name a few.      

Judges at the Sri Lanka Country Finals year consisted of Senaka Kakiriwaragodage (Vice President at NDB Investment Bank), Harsha Wickramasinghe (Deputy Director General – Operations, Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority), Chas Charles (CEO, Hayleys Energy Services) and Bradley Emerson (CIMA Regional Director Middle East, South Asia and North Africa). 

Chief Judge Senaka Kakiriwaragodage stated, “This competition has evolved over time and the standards have elevated.  There is abundant talent on display at these competitions.  The task set for this year is one based in a difficult industry. As Sri Lankans, we are unaccustomed to the task since we are in the nascent stages of perhaps discovering gas.  The contestants must have spent a lot of time researching this industry with few resources available to them.  The panel of judges were very impressed with the work presented.”    

Paragon Consultants will compete with 25 other teams in the 2015 CIMA GBC Global Finals that will be held in Warsaw, Poland from 3-7 August.