Australian and Hong Kong teams claim victory at BI International Case Competition 2026

Oslo City Hall

Throughout the week, students collaborated under pressure, developed innovative solutions, and presented them to professional juries, while also having time for social activities, experiencing the city of Oslo and Norwegian culture. 

Future revenue models

Astrup Fearnley Group delivered the first case and challenged the students to rethink the company’s future revenue model. After eight intense hours of case solving, it came down to Copenhagen Business School, HKU Business School, and IE University.

“It’s impressive to see how well such young students understand business. They are bachelor students, yet they deliver at a really high level,” said Marius Hermansen, CEO of Astrup Fearnley Group. 

From left: Jessica Kim, Aiswarya Rambhatla, Sharon Dong & Andrew Fong. 

All teams delivered strong proposals, but HKU Business School took the win, followed by Copenhagen Business School in second place and IE University in third.

“Their case could almost have been presented straight to our board,” Hermansen said, as he presented the award. 

The winning team’s solution stood out for its clear strategic direction and strong understanding of the industry’s future challenges.

“We focused on the threat of AI to traditional shipbroking. Our solution focused on strengthening the human side of shipbroking and prioritising Fearnley’s Asset Management to grow their revenue by 2036,” Sharon Dong from HKU Business School explained. 

Getting to know the other teams 

Between the case sessions, the teams had time to socialise and get to know each other. 

“The scavenger hunt around Oslo was definitely a highlight. It was such a fun way to explore the city’s iconic landmarks while getting to know the other teams,” said Jasmin Kalantar from the University of Technology Sydney. 

The participants also had the opportunity to experience Norway’s winter cold firsthand during a sauna and cold plunge session. 

“The cold plunge was quite unforgettable, as it’s something we could never do back in Australia,” added Luella Green, also from the University of Technology Sydney. 

New multi-fuel world

The next case was delivered by Höegh Autoliners. The students had 30 hours to develop a solution proposal on how the company should shape its future fuel strategy in a new multi-fuel world. 

Once again, Copenhagen Business School made it to the final, competing alongside the University of Technology Sydney and HEC Montréal.

After all three teams had presented their solutions, the jury went out to deliberate. Eventually, they reached a decision. It was the University of Technology Sydney that took home the victory, followed by HEC Montréal and Copenhagen Business School.

From left: Matthew Whitney, Luella Green, Julianne Luu, Jasmine Kalantar and Nelson Ma (advisor). 

“The winning team stood out for their creativity, out-of-the-box thinking, realistic approach, and a clear, well-structured timeline,” said Espen Stubberud, CFO of Höegh Autoliners. 

They named their solution M.A.P.

“M.A.P (Meridian, Anchor and Pulse) is a smart fuel strategy for Höegh Autoliners. Meridian recommends the best fuel for each voyage based on cost, regulation, and availability. Anchor secures ammonia supply, while Pulse monitors market and regulatory changes so the company can adapt as the industry evolves,” they explained. 

President of BI Karen Spens applauds the students for their exceptional case-solving abilities.

“I am truly impressed by the caliber of this year’s competition. We are honored to host so many talented students from top business schools around the world. A sincere thanks to our case partners for providing such challenging and realistic assignments. It is inspiring to see the innovative ideas presented by the different teams and how much real-life value they offer to the business community,” says Spens.