MBA Tournament 2024 – The MBA Olympics of Paris

Each spring top business schools travel to HEC Paris to compete in both athletic and non-athletic events for a three-day unforgettable experience for more than 1600 students.

The MBA Tournament (MBAT) is said to be the highlight of the MBA experience and the annual competition, May 9-11, 2024, marked a special moment leading up to the Paris 2024 Olympics. HEC welcomed 14 schools from across Europe to compete in over 40 activities from Basketball to Volleyball and new competitions included Arm Wrestling, Flag Football, Paintball, a Spartan Race, a Fashion Show and Steinholding (one holds a full glass of water in a stein mug far from one’s mouth as long as possible).

To pull this off is no easy feat and demands months of preplanning, by a team of 26 students, with a budget of 750K euros. The entire event is student-run and was led by MBAT President Anshika Gupta, MBA `25, from India, a national-level archer and passionate MBAT enthusiast.

“Reflecting on my journey at HEC so far, MBAT stands out as the crowning achievement,” said Anshika, the first-ever female to lead the MBAT core team. “It was an exhilarating adventure where my team and I poured our hearts into delivering an unparalleled experience. By introducing new sports, refining the organization, and crafting an atmosphere that echoes the grandeur of the Olympics, we strived to create unforgettable moments for every participant. It was a wild, fun ride that’s profoundly rewarding both professionally and personally.”

The unexpected, however, is to be expected. “No matter how well you prepare or think ahead, there is always something unexpected that happens and it’s about how you tackle those difficulties within a timely manner,” said Yue ‘Dora’ Zhang, MBA’ 25, from Canada, who worked on securing sponsors and managed social media promotion.

MBAT Top 3 Winners

MBAT Trophy: LBS (1st), HEC Paris (2nd) and Oxford (3rd)

Dance Competition: HEC Paris (1st), Oxford (2nd), LBS (3rd)

Battle of the Bands: Cambridge (1st), IMD (2nd), Manchester (3rd)

Fashion Show: HEC Paris (1st), ESMT Berlin (2nd), IMD (3rd)

Yash Tripathi, MBA '25, from India, played a key role in MBAT 2024. "Designing the logo was a collaborative effort that set the tone for the event. Managing merchandise orders and vendor negotiations under a tight budget was challenging but rewarding. Co-leading the events and resolving last-minute crises with vendors and participants, including a critical transportation issue on the final night, tested my problem-solving skills." Yash reflected. "MBAT has enhanced my strategic thinking, resilience, and negotiation skills. I look forward to applying these lessons to help organizations make impactful decisions and implement optimal solutions," he said.

Jennifer Elie, MBA ‘25, from Haiti, said it was surprising to adapt to individuals’ work styles unlike her interactions with them in a class or social setting. “As a scientist, I definitely have a more analytical way of thinking,” said Jennifer, who managed social media. “One of the learning opportunities was trying to understand the process of a person’s mindset, knowing the way they tackle a problem was different

from mine. Sometimes the outcome might not make sense to me but understanding the thought process that led to it definitely helps to understand why that decision was made.”

MBAT is one of the highlight events focused on leadership, problem-solving, diplomacy, negotiation, strategy, marketing and customer appreciation. It is the one MBA activity where students must rely on the tools they learn across various subjects in the classroom for a real-world experience.

It’s exactly what motivated Shogo Kodama, MBA ‘25, from Japan, to join the MBAT core team to help attract sponsors. Prior to MBAT, Shogo worked for the Japan Sports Council for eight years. “[MBAT] was a deciding factor to come for HEC,” he said. “I wanted to know how students who have different backgrounds and come from different countries can cooperate with each other to operate this big event.”

Using his prior experience, Shogo and the sponsorship team were able to secure three major MBAT sponsors: Dassai, Red Bull, and MBA Ventures.

Shivangi Kapoor, MBA ‘25, head of Events for MBAT and from India, said she had planned events for 100 to 300 people but never on the scale of MBAT. “Everything was new to me – and everything was fast-paced from how to reach out to people and know who would be performing at the dance competition, to the fashion show, etc.”

Shivangi pitched the fashion show, which has never been part of MBAT. “Paris is known as the city of fashion and people from around the world admire the fashion, so I thought that it is almost necessary and should be a part of MBAT,” she said. “It showed how fashion could be sustainable at the same time.”

The fashion show was a way to have a non-sport activity that brings out the creativity of people in a fun way, Jennifer said. It allowed students who are not very sports focused to still participate.

“It was very much about creating that impact and making sure all the participants have a great time,” Jennifer added. In addition to sports and fashion, there was also the Battle of the Bands and Dance Competition, as well as dance parties, followed by the grand finale, a masquerade party at La Felicita, a restaurant founded by an HEC alumnus, in Paris.

Lakshmi Narayanan, MBA ’25 from India, who worked on communications and student check-ins, said “The tickets for this year’s MBAT flew off the shelves, with the last batch selling out in a record 2 minutes.” She especially appreciated the bonds formed with fellow MBAs. “Although managing external communication during the hectic second term was challenging, I believe we have built strong connections within the European MBA community that will last a lifetime.”

Shogo said he especially appreciated the bond he developed over the three-day event. It didn’t take long to get to know students well from the other schools. “They became my friends and I think these friendships will continue,” he said. “Those interactions on a personal level with MBAs from other schools are a bonus to being on the operating team. If I participated only as a player, the interaction may not have been as deep.”

Shogo’s dream career is to continue working for an international sports event and to host international events. He is already on track; he recently accepted an internship offer as a Brand Ambassador for a logistics company during the Paris 2024 Olympics this summer.

"Delivering the MBAT stands out as one of the most transformative experiences of my life. I was driven by the vision of creating a three-day journey that everyone would hold dear,” said James Kandalaft, MBA ’25 from Lebanon, who was head of Finance for MBAT. “Through this remarkable experience, I uncovered the true essence of teamwork and leadership. The bonds I forged with my MBAT core team are lifelong—we faced obstacles, shared laughter, had passionate debates, but together, we crafted something truly extraordinary. This journey has not only shaped us but also left an indelible legacy for everyone involved."

This success would not have been possible without the incredible efforts of the entire team, especially Jean-Luc Thébert, MBA ’25 from France, who was head of Operations for MBAT. His great effort and involvement were crucial in leading operations, especially ensuring safety and security of everyone. Together, they turned a dream into reality, and their commitment and hard work have been truly inspiring.