On August 30, 2025, the BFI Case Jam 2025 took place in Singapore. Marking GMP’s second consecutive appearance at the event, six GMP students—four third-year and two fourth-year (Jiaying Li, Miku Kizawa, Milana Bashutskaya, Nanami Fukui, Tianshu Huang, and Yibing Wang)—participated in the competition.
Accompanying faculty member Prof. Lim (far left) with the six participating GMP students
The BFI Case Jam is a case study competition hosted by Singapore Management University (SMU) and sponsored by EY-Parthenon. Participants are tasked with developing solutions to real management challenges faced by family businesses within a limited timeframe. Unlike conventional case competitions, the event emphasizes improvisation and collaboration.
On the day of the competition, over 120 students from around the world were randomly divided into roughly 30 teams and given the case challenge on the spot. Each team had six hours to conduct research, analyze the case, and develop a strategy before submitting their results as a video presentation. Submissions were then evaluated by a panel of judges, including professors, consultants, and family business owners. The three teams that advanced from the preliminary round each gave a 30-minute presentation, followed by a Q&A session in front of the full audience, after which the first-, second-, and third-prize winners were announced.
Group photo of judges, participants, and organizers
The team that included GMP student Tianshu Huang advanced to the final round and won second prize. In the final round, the team presented before a large audience and a panel of judges, answering a series of challenging questions with composure and effective teamwork. The team members represented diverse national and academic backgrounds, including China, Indonesia, Korea, and Singapore.
▶Reflecting on the experience, Tianshu Huang shared:
“Our team began by introducing ourselves and identifying each other’s strengths. Without assigning rigid roles, we analyzed the case together, exchanged ideas actively, and divided research and preparation tasks as needed. Although we sometimes disagreed, we conducted further research and ultimately developed a plan that everyone was satisfied with. I believe our mutual support and collaboration were the keys to our success.
Final round – Second Prize-winning team
We were able to perform well in such a high-pressure environment thanks to the dedication of my teammates. Their diverse cultural backgrounds brought new perspectives, and everyone maintained an open-minded and positive attitude throughout. After the competition, we expressed our gratitude to one another, took photos, and exchanged contacts. These connections have become precious memories for me.
Through this experience, I was reminded of the value of working with people from different backgrounds. Incorporating diverse perspectives broadened my thinking, and I learned the importance of both leadership and flexibility in achieving results within a short time. Standing on the podium as a GMP student was a proud moment, but it also made me realize that I still have much to learn in addressing real-world business challenges. I’m determined to further deepen my expertise moving forward.
Lastly, I would like to thank the GMP faculty for this opportunity, my teammates for their collaboration, and Professor Lim for the warm support. I hope to apply what I learned from this experience to future GMP and seminar activities to continue growing.”
