University of Colombo Becomes First Sri Lankan Team Ever to Reach the HSBC/HKU Business Case Challenge Grand Final
For nineteen years, the HSBC/HKU Business Case Challenge has crowned the world’s sharpest undergraduate business minds, and for nineteen years, no Sri Lankan team had ever reached its Grand Final. That changed in June 2026. The University of Colombo has made history, becoming the first Sri Lankan team to ever advance to the Grand Final of the HSBC/HKU Business Case Challenge, and securing the position of third runner-up among 24 of the world’s leading universities and business schools.
The competition was held in Hong Kong from 1st to 6th June 2026, bringing together some of the most prestigious business schools globally. Out of more than 3,000 teams competing in qualifying rounds worldwide, the University of Colombo fought through to the very top, emerging as Champions in two of its three divisional rounds before storming into the Grand Final with the third-highest cumulative score among all participating teams.
The University of Colombo team comprised Ms Vimarshee Gunawardana (4th year undergraduate), Mr Janith Munasinghe (3rd year undergraduate), Ms Mindu Hapangama (3rd year undergraduate), and Mr Kugan Ganan (2nd year undergraduate), under the guidance of their coach, Mr Krishmal Fernando, Lecturer, Department of International Business, Faculty of Management and Finance.
The Road to the Grand Final
The first three rounds of the competition were hosted at HKU Business School and featured a range of networking, cultural exchange, and social events, such as the Hong Kong Night. Round One tasked teams with building a sustainable business ecosystem for Pop Mart, designing a strategy to help the company diversify away from its over-reliance on its Labubu franchise through a multi-product portfolio. Going up against Peking University, Fudan University, and Macau University of Science and Technology in Division F, the University of Colombo came out on top, emerging Division F Champions in their very first round on the world stage.
Round Two, the Boardroom Challenge, required teams to design a governance mechanism for HSBC and Anchorpoint to guide the introduction and development of stablecoin usage in Hong Kong. Facing Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, the University of Mauritius, and Christ University, Bangalore, in Division C, the team secured Second Place.
Round Three centred on a market entry and customer leverage strategy for a personal brand looking to expand from an Egypt-only market into the United States. Up against Christ University Bangalore, University of Delhi, and National Taiwan University in Division D, the University of Colombo struck again, emerging Division D Champions — two divisional titles out of three, and a ticket booked to the Grand Final.
The Grand Final
The Grand Final was held on 5th June 2026 at the HSBC Headquarters in Hong Kong, in the presence of distinguished guests including Mr David Liao, Co-Chief Executive of HSBC Asia and the Middle East, and Professor Hongbin Cai, Dean of HKU Business School. The final case required teams to design key-man risk solutions for Chartwell Capital, addressing business transition and client expansion in the absence of its founder. Going head-to-head with the world’s leading business schools on this case, the University of Colombo secured the position of Third Runner-Up.
A Moment Sri Lankan Higher Education Will Remember
This is not just a trophy. It is proof, on a stage shared with the University of Sydney, Peking University, Fudan University, and some of the best business schools on the planet, that Sri Lankan undergraduates belong at the very top of global business education. The University of Colombo proudly congratulates Vimarshee, Janith, Mindu, and Ganan, and their coach, Mr Krishmal Fernando, on a result that has never been achieved by a Sri Lankan team before. History has been made, and it’s only the beginning.
