What business challenge or opportunity did you address through the CEMS Business Project?
The students were asked to dive into a challenge that’s highly relevant to many organizations today: how to streamline complex investment decision-making without losing the necessary checks and balances. We wanted to see how governance and agility could coexist — how to avoid lengthy approval cycles while still protecting the business from unnecessary risks. In other words, how to create an investment framework that is both robust and responsive, capable of moving at the speed of the market while remaining grounded in good decision-making.
How did working with a team of international CEMS students enhance the quality of insights or solutions generated?
The real strength of this project came from the diversity of the team. Each student brought a different academic, cultural, and professional perspective, which meant that ideas were constantly challenged and refined. Instead of one-dimensional solutions, we received recommendations that had been tested against multiple viewpoints and stress-tested through discussion. This diversity helped ensure that the final outputs weren’t just theoretically strong but also practical and adaptable across different contexts. That blend of creativity and critical thinking made the insights stand out.
What was your experience like throughout the process – from project scoping to final delivery?
The journey was highly collaborative. From the very beginning, the students showed a clear ability to scope the project in a way that aligned with our expectations while also pushing us to think differently. Throughout the process, they maintained a strong rhythm of check-ins, feedback loops, and progress updates, which built confidence in their work and kept everything on track. What stood out was their ability to translate complex organizational challenges into clear frameworks and actionable recommendations. By the time we reached the final delivery, the results felt well thought-through, balanced, and ready to be considered in a real-world setting.
If you were to recommend the CEMS Business Project to another company, what would you say?
I would say it’s an opportunity not to be missed. The CEMS Business Project gives companies access to highly motivated, international talent that can bring a fresh lens to long-standing challenges. Unlike traditional projects that can sometimes feel constrained by “the way things are done,” this initiative brings curiosity, openness, and rigor in equal measure. For us, it was impressive to see how quickly the students got up to speed on a complex topic and how effectively they converted their research and analysis into actionable solutions. It’s essentially a concentrated burst of consulting-like value creation — but with the added benefit of working with the next generation of global business leaders.