CIMA crowns first Indian ‘Whizards’

Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), the world’s largest professional body of management accountants, has awarded the Tesco Titans – from Tesco PLC as winners of the Whiz Competition 2013, while the runners-up were Genpact 1 – from Genpact. The Best Speaker award was given to Pranav Vaidya of Team Catalyst from the Essar Group.

CIMA Whiz is an annual case-study competition held for working professionals that aims to bring out the best of analytical and decision-making skills amongst business managers and makes them “think and take decisions like a business leader”.

This year CIMA Whiz saw participation from over 150 teams across the country from 50 leading organizations. Teams consisting of four working professionals were asked to take on the task of analysing a case study and submit a report. The shortlisted teams then presented their solutions to a panel of eminent business leaders at the regional finals held at Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. 

The competition challenged the participants to evaluate an industry-based business scenario. The teams were evaluated based on their analytical study and approach, judgment and creative skills in interpreting the financial and non- financial data provided in the business scenario.

The competition was judged by  an eminent panel  comprising of Mr Girish Bhat, CFO, Gammon India; Amit Kothari, Director, Barclays Bank; Mr Satyabrata Das, Vice President – OEM Sales, Gulf Oil and Santanu Chakraborty, Head – Global Restructuring Group, India, The Royal Bank of Scotland.

Arati Porwal, Chief Representative, CIMA India said, “CIMA’s Whiz competition brought together a variety of professionals from varied industries and backgrounds this year. The competition provides a successful platform for exchange of ideas. CIMA aims to provide internationally recognized standards and practices to the Indian financial professional and Whiz is a good way to showcase their award winning abilities.”