AUC Team Wins First Place in P&G Winter Summit Internship Competition

This remarkable accomplishment not only showcases the team’s ability to apply their academic knowledge in real-world scenarios but also provides them with a golden opportunity to the six months P&G winter internship.

United and Strong: The Perfect Team

The winning team was a dynamic group of four seniors: Joice Bebawy, Zeina Bahgat and Hanya Hafez, seniors in marketing, plus Nour Helal, senior in quantitative economics. Together they combined their strategic thinking and innovative marketing skills to solve the challenging business case of how to increase the market share of Pampers Pants in Egypt.

Reflecting on the team’s chemistry, Bahgat shared, “when I was put in a team with other AUCians, I was thankful, because I knew it would make it easier to communicate, meet on campus, and we probably held a similar mindset. We all had our strengths and complemented each other. One member calming the team down, another ensuring the structure was very smooth, someone else coming up with creative ideas; a perfect team.”

The success of the team lay in their ability to harness their individual strengths while working collaboratively, offering practical and innovative solutions to the case challenge.

Treasured Adventure: The Journey to Victory

The teams’ journey began in early November when all participants were introduced to P&G’s history, the internship program, and a case study debriefing. Teams were then randomly grouped together. 

Guided by Ahmed Tolba, professor and chair, and Hakim Meshreki, associate professor, Heikal Management Department, the team worked tirelessly to prepare for the competition. Their efforts culminated in a 20-minute presentation to a panel of P&G directors. Due to the strength of the competition, they were asked to re-present their case to a second panel, followed by a rigorous one-hour Q&A session focusing on the feasibility of their ideas. After waiting for one and a half tense hours, the team was declared the winner of the competition. 

Hafez reflected on the intensity of the experience, “We literally camped on campus for like three or four days working for a minimum of seven hours each day in order to crack the case study and develop the presentation. Full on working, having meetings, calling people to gather information. I had a pause in my academic life in terms of my courses that I’m currently taking, we had to give it 100%. It was draining, but I learned so much.”

Bebawy echoed the sentiment, “It was a transformative experience for me. I felt like I was working on something really big and was able to apply what I learned in class. I learned how to market size, how to think outside the box, backing up solutions with numbers plus how market insight and consumer insight is everything.”

As a result of their victory, all four team members have advanced to the interview stage for P&G’s six months Winter Internship, which begins in late January. The internships program positions in various business areas, allowing students to gain hands-on experience, make an early impact in the industry, and take their first steps into a meaningful career.

Helal, who is applying for P&G’s finance internship, expressed her excitement “It would be a huge milestone for me, especially as I know people who did the internship and told me it was such a fruitful experience, because they learned so much. They really expect a lot from their interns and put so much confidence in the ones they accept, making sure you learn quickly and stand up to those expectations.”

The internship opportunity highlights the value of the competition, bridging academic knowledge with practical industry experience, and providing students with unparalleled exposure to one of the world’s leading multinational companies.

Continuing Excellence: A Testament to AUC’s Commitment

The achievement is a testament to the team’s dedication, hard work and strategic thinking. It also reflects on the school’s unwavering commitment to academic excellence, both inside and outside the classroom. By empowering students to excel on global platforms, the school continues to prepare its graduates to compete and succeed in the professional world.

The P&G Winter Summit Internship Competition not only demonstrated the strength of Onsi Sawiris School of Business education, but also highlighted the school’s ability to produce graduates ready to tackle real-world challenges and drive meaningful impact in their industries.