A winning formula at NUS Business School
Reena Premchand Primalani is passionate about case competitions. For her, these competitions are nerve-racking yet exhilarating as they give her the opportunity to hone the skills she learnt at school into winning formulas.
Case in point— she was in Denmark with her NUS Business School teammates for the annual Copenhagen Business School Invitational Case Competition in February 2022. The team spent a full week analysing information, crafting solutions, and defending their recommendations, and her team clinched the third spot while Reena was awarded Best Presenter. This was Reena’s eighth case competition.
The competition veteran’s training took place not just during classes, but also during her time in the NUS Case Consulting Group, where she took on the role of managing partner with two of her peers.
The group represents Singapore and NUS in case competitions across the world, giving members exposure to both real-world business problems and the process of formulating innovative strategies to tackle them.
“I learnt a lot from the case competitions, and if there’s anything I will remember, it’s this,” she said. Her competitive edge stretched beyond the book, though, as she found herself on the podium twice representing NUS in Track and Field. She also captained the Kent Ridge Hall Athletics team during their inter-hall games in 2020.
The best choice
Having parents who run a business, she found it natural to enter NUS Business School. While she was unsure which major to take up initially, the school gave her the flexibility to explore first and decide later.
What she found particularly beneficial were the myriad of experiences she could gain outside of class. “I knew that there were a lot of student-related clubs that would provide me with a lot of opportunities,” said Reena, who decided to major in Finance.
She was an active member of the NUS Students’ Business Club, more commonly known as the Bizad Club, where she helped in freshman orientation and other business camps. Through these activities, she got to know her peers and seniors better, from whom she gained valuable guidance. “When it comes to clubs and camps, Business has it best,” she quipped.
Outside of school, she was also actively contributing to the community. Along with some peers, she worked with Beyond Social Services, a non-profit organisation dedicated to helping children and youths break away from the poverty cycle. Her team had plans to engage residents in Jalan Bukit Merah, but COVID-19 struck.
The team quickly readjusted their plans. They went door to door to speak to the residents in a bid to find out what they really needed to improve their lives. Taking turns, Reena and her team worked tirelessly over a month to gather responses.
She then utilised all she had learnt in her business course to come up with detailed charts of data and solutions that Beyond Social Services could easily interpret and implement.
All ready to soar
Despite her heavy involvement in activities, Reena was still able to do well in school. When asked how she did it, she shared, “Business is flexible with class scheduling, so I could juggle between the two as long as I managed my time well.”
After an enriching time in NUS, she is ready to face the future with confidence. Her experience in case competitions has equipped her with critical thinking skills and the ability to work under pressure. “I’ve learnt how to be creative and stand out, while producing quality work, which will really help in my work in the future,” she said.
Describing her time in NUS as “fruitful”, she added, “I was really able to balance academics, internships, extracurricular activities and making new friends, all in the span of four years, and I don’t regret anything.”
Her advice to incoming students is this: “Live in the moment, while keeping an eye on the future. NUS allows you to explore opportunities while shaping your career journey, so seize these opportunities as they arise!”
This story is part of NUS News’ coverage of Commencement 2022, which celebrates the achievements of our 13,975 graduates through 28 in-person ceremonies. For more on Commencement, read our story on the opening ceremony, check out the official Commencement website, or look up (and tag) #NUS2022 on our social media channels!
