APU student Ricky Chua Chin Han, together with his team ‘Power of Love’, was crowned Champion of the AlphaSights Asia Case Competition 2026 after outperforming 176 teams across Asia, impressing judges with strong strategic thinking and stakeholder management skills in the Grand Final held in Hong Kong, China.

The AlphaSights Asia Case Competition 2026, which officially commenced on 9 March 2026, attracted an impressive 176 teams from across Asia, bringing together some of the region’s brightest university talents to tackle a real-world business challenge.

Following a highly competitive preliminary round, only four teams earned a coveted place in the Grand Final, held at AlphaSights’ office in Hong Kong, China. 

The finalists represented prestigious institutions including the National University of Singapore (NUS), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), and a multidisciplinary Indonesian team comprising students from various universities.

Organised by AlphaSights Ltd. (Hong Kong), the competition placed participants in the role of the AlphaSights Client Services Team, supporting a consulting client interested in assessing investment opportunities within the European data centre market.

To address the case challenge, teams were required to determine how best to connect the client with relevant industry experts who could provide valuable insights into key market dynamics, including regional supply constraints, customer purchasing behaviour, and developments driven by artificial intelligence.

Rather than focusing solely on recommendations, the competition evaluated participants on their strategic thinking, research methodology, ability to articulate AlphaSights’ role in the engagement process, and selection of five suitable industry experts. 

Teams presented their findings through a five-page report, a seven-slide presentation deck, and a 15 to 18-minute video pitch.

From the initial submissions, four finalist teams were selected and invited to AlphaSights’ Hong Kong office on 4 June 2026. 

There, they participated in a 30-minute mentorship session with Client Services Associates, who provided guidance to help refine their presentations ahead of the final assessment.

The grand finale consisted of a 10-minute presentation, a five-minute client simulation call, and a three-minute question-and-answer session, testing not only participants’ analytical capabilities but also their communication and stakeholder management skills under pressure.

Emerging as the overall champion was team ‘Power of Love’, comprising Ricky Chua Chin Han from Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), Belinda Ng Sue Xuen from Universiti Malaya (UM), Lim Cheng Hong from University of Wollongong Malaysia (UOWM), and Jillian Yeow En Yu from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).

Under the mentorship of Ms Abbhirami Sivarajan, a lecturer from APU’s School of Business (SoB), the team emerged as champions, outperforming strong regional competitors through their exceptional stakeholder management skills, clear and structured thinking, and ability to navigate ambiguity while performing confidently under pressure during the simulation calls.

Reflecting on the achievement, Ricky Chua Chin Han, an Investment Analytics student at APU, shared that his team had also participated in the competition in 2025 but had not progressed to the finals.

“We debriefed what the case actually wanted from us and focused more on showcasing our thought process, reasoning, and logical frameworks rather than the solution or recommendations themselves.

“We also gained a deeper understanding of what AlphaSights does and how it differs from a typical business firm,” he said.

Ricky added that the experience provided valuable opportunities to develop essential professional skills.

“We learned soft skills such as stakeholder management and negotiation, and we had a lot of fun, especially in Hong Kong.

“The competition taught us things beyond the classroom. We never expected to win first place, but somehow, we did. It has motivated us to pursue more global competitions that offer opportunities to gain international exposure and travel beyond Malaysia,” he said.