"CIMA is pleased that Barclays has signed on as the main global partner for a further three years in this exciting talent identification competition, which will see the global final hosted by Mumbai in August 2014," says Samantha Louis, CIMA Africa regional director. "Between now and then 24 countries or regions will be running their national competitions. In our region, there will be national finals in Ghana, South Africa and Zambia during May and June."
The competition, which is in its fifth year, is open to all students studying for their first degree. In 2013, 81% of entrants were interested in a career in business management, finance or accounting. During 2013, 16 164 individuals from 550 universities across 24 countries participated in the competition. It generated 49 879 Facebook and Weibo friends and likes, as well as 97 463 unique visitors to GBC microsites.
Corporations operating in all three of the participating African countries may opt to partner with each national final. Partners in GBC will benefit from supporting the event through increased exposure to undergraduates that have specified an interest in pursuing a career in business and finance and to help to build a talent pipeline; enhanced brand awareness for the organisation's finance graduate scheme; an opportunity to showcase the company's value proposition as a potential employer; direct engagement with future business leaders; and extensive advertising campaigns which deliver brand awareness on campus and in the media.
