Journey of Team Finproof from IIM Indore winning the HUL FinAce Season 2
It was sheer happiness when it was announced that IIM Indore's team "Finproof" was the winner of HUL FinAce Season 2.
Firstly because it was HUL and secondly because it was related to Finance. I am a finance enthusiast and this competition gave me a chance to compete at the National Level in finance based case competition. HUL FinAce Season 2 is the only B School case competition specifically designed to make you understand the role of finance in the company.
The case was designed to give a real understanding of what decisions a finance manager takes in an FMCG company. The role is focused not only to finance but also demands an understanding of other divisions. This understanding of how a finance manager works in an FMCG company helped us a lot in cracking the case. Our solution was very holistic in nature which is what, I believe, caught the eyes of the judges. As for working on the case during the initial phase, I would say it was quite hard, the solutions we came up were very straightforward, but I think a lot of sleepless nights made sure that we cover every factor that goes into a particular decision. If I have to give a number for how much time we took precisely, I would say a total of 100+ man-hours. The most challenging part was to show all the hard work that your team has done in a 3 pager/8 slide document and structure the solution in a way that there's a story/connect when one goes through the document, but somehow we managed it quite well.
I knew all the members of my team very well as they were my friends, so we knew the strengths and weaknesses of each other. This helped us in optimally distributing the work. At the same time, every member played the role of devil's advocate which, obviously, resulted in a lot of conflicts, but these conflicts helped us come up with a comprehensive and well-thought solution.
Our team was a perfect combination of everything that was required to win this competition: deep accounting knowledge, data analysis, presentation skills, understanding of M&A, valuation & Capital Budgeting and last but not the least marketing.
There were a total of 10 teams. We were a little anxious about it, as this was the first time we were a part of the competition this prestigious. The competition was perfectly designed to showcase the kind of role finance plays in an FMCG company and the plethora of factors considered before any decision is taken. I am able to say this because we had a full day session at HUL Campus before the finale wherein we learnt a lot about Finance at HUL.
To be honest this whole case competition was more of a learning experience than anything else for me. From managing the time properly as every member had different time schedules that they could devote to the case, keeping the team motivated and dedicated, to understanding how by brainstorming in a team can help you come up with multiple solutions/perspectives to a particular problem.
In this journey from Campus Winner to becoming National Winner of HUL FinAce Season 2, one very special moment was when in the finale the judges did not even ask a single question as we had covered every single aspect one could think of in our presentation. In a way, I would say we had cracked the case.
I am from the City of Falls, Ranchi with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from BIT Mesra. I will not hesitate to call myself a Finance enthusiast as I love the field so much for its ability to play with the uncertainties.
Each Corporate organized competition is unique in its own way. From structure to judging criteria. Read more about HUL FinAce Season 2 and the organizers Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL). Other competitions organized by Hindustan Unilever Limited are HUL Big Brand Theory, HUL L.I.M.E. Season 10, HUL - IT Reboot, HUL- The Premier League, HUL Carpe Diem Season 5.