We welcome you to the P&G CEO Challenge: A competition which will test your aptitude for business strategy and real-life problem-solving. If you’ve been eager to demonstrate your ingenuity and intelligence beyond your campus, this is the chance to make an impression on a global scale.
Prepare to compete with teams from around the world to see who is most fit to be the next CEO of P&G. Top students will ascend to the Global Final in Dubai and win the opportunity to meet P&G CEO David Taylor. First, prepare to showcase your ability to think critically about leading brand Gillette. Best of luck!
Challenge brought to you by:
What's in it for me?
Win an all expenses paid trip to the location of Regional Finals and Dubai, UAE to compete in the Global Final
Meet students from around the world and network with leaders from P&G
Official winners will be invited to our Signal event at our Cincinnati headquarters. Join executives, founders, and industry disruptors at our most exciting event of the year!
Check out this video from the P&G CEO Challenge 2018 Finals in Panama
How does it work?
Note: European contestants compete individually instead of in teams
Gather your crew with diverse backgrounds and sign up
Rock the online case study and win the national round
Take on the top performers from your region
Earn your spot in the global final in Dubai
Win & meet with CEOs from the biggest companies at P&G Signal Conference 2019
Key Dates & FAQ
| Compete online to be the best team from your school | September 17, 2018 – November 30, 2018 |
| Top team from each school competes live against the other school teams | February 1, 2019 |
| North America Regional Finals in Boston, MA | March 13-15, 2019 |
| Global Finals in Dubai, UAE | May 20-24, 2019 |
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Can anyone participate in the CEO Challenge 2018-2019?Yes, any active student can form part of a team (3-4 people) and participate. Active and former employees and interns cannot participate. Students who will be interns in the Summer, but have not yet done work for P&G, may also participate.
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Do I need to know English to participate in the competition?Yes, as the Online Case Study step will be run in English and during the Local Final step your solution must be presented in English as well.
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Do I need a valid passport?Yes, participants should have valid passport (expire date after August 2019) if they wish to be considered for both the Regional and Global Final.
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Where is the North American Final taking place?It will take place at the Gillette Headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts.
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How and when will the winners be chosen and contacted?The winning team from each campus will be chosen based on the score they achieve in the online stage. Teams will be contacted within a week after the online round has closed (By December 7th, 2018). We will reach out to the team leader using the email and/or phone number provided. Top teams from each school will be contacted in the weeks leading up to their live competition on February 1, 2019. This competition will be done online, so no travel is necessary. The top teams from this regional competition will be notified within a week after competing (by February 8th, 2019). They will be provided travel and lodging for the Regional Finals in Boston, MA. The winning team from the Regional Finals will travel to Dubai for the Global finals during the 3rd week of May.
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Is there a cost to participating?Participation in the competition is free for the entire competition. P&G will pay for the travel and accommodations for all team members to both the Regional and Global Final. P&G will not pay for the costs incurred in obtaining a passport, nor for extra days (accommodation or travel) if the team (or team members) wish to stay beyond the period defined. International passport and visa obtaining are required as per local laws to participate in both in-person events (Boston and Dubai). Travel and accommodation costs include round-trip travel from the team’s home city and host city as well as accommodations for the duration of the stay in the host city. Accommodations will be provided at a location of P&G’s choosing. Teams (or team members) that wish to stay elsewhere will need to do so at their own expense. For more information, please refer to the Terms & Condition Document. P&G will not offer financial support for team members that are not able to travel.
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What if we miss the deadline of the submission date for the online case?If you miss the deadline of submission you will automatically be rejected and you will not be able to continue the competition.
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How long will the Regional Challenge take?The Regional Challenge case will be sent to participating teams one week (7 days) prior to the start of the competition. Teams will be given the entire week to prepare themselves. Teams are expected to arrive in Boston on March 13th before the Welcome Reception in the evening.
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What are the event dates of each stage?You can check the dates of each stage in the Key Dates table above.
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What is the prize for Global Final Winners?The team who wins the Global Final in Dubai will have the privilege to join the P&G Signal Conference 2019 in Cincinnati and meet our CEO, David Taylor.
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Can we be coached or advised in preparation?Teams may not use a coach’s help for with the competition. We understand that some teams may wish to receive guidance prior to beginning the competition. This is fine, but once the competition has begun for that stage, the team cannot receive guidance or assistance from anyone outside of the team. Prior to the Regional or Global Competitions, teams may receive instruction on how to present or how to perform well in a case competition. But once information for the case has been delivered to the team, they are not allowed to discuss the case, or receive help from any additional person.
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How important is it to be honest and act with integrity?We at P&G hold strong to our Purpose, Values, and Principles. Among those values are integrity and trust. We expect all participants to uphold the highest standards of integrity and trustworthiness as they prepare themselves and compete in all portions portion of the competition. If there is ever any situation where a violation of these values occurs by even a single member of the team, or if a violation of these values seems to have happened, P&G reserves the right to eliminate the entire team from the competition without any question.
| Country | Day applications close | Local Final |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | November 1 | November 2018 |
| Brazil | November 10 | November 29 |
| Chile | November 1 | November 2018 |
| Colombia | November 1 | November 2018 |
| Costa Rica | October 20 | November 5 |
| Mexico | November 1 | November 15 |
| Panamá | November 1 | November 12 |
| Perú | November 13 | November 13 | Venezuela | November 1 | November 15 |
| Regional Final: March 2019, Mexico City, Mexico | ||
| Global Final: May 2019, Dubai | ||
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Can anyone participate in the CEO Challenge 2018-2019?Yes, any active student can form part of a team (3-4 people) and participate. Individual submissions will not be considered. Active employees and interns at P&G cannot participate.
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Do I need to know English to participate in the competition?Yes, as the Online Case Study step will be run in English and during the Local Final step your solution must be presented in English as well.
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Is there any further request?Yes, participants should have valid passport (expiry date after August 2019)
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Where is the Latin American Final taking place?It will take place in Mexico City, Mexico.
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How and when will the winners be contacted?Local finalists (4 teams) will be chosen based on the score they achieve in the online stage. Teams will be contacted at least 10 days before the local round (see key dates tab for more information).
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Should I pay for participation and traveling to the cluster finals or for LA final?Participation in the competition is free for both the Cluster Finals and LA Final. Financial aspects such as visa support, flight tickets, meals, transportations and accommodation would be covered by P&G. International passports and visas are required as per local laws to participate in both events. Travel and accommodation costs include a 2 way ticket between the home city and host city and accommodation for the duration of the stay in the host city. Accommodation will be provided at a location of P&G’s choosing. Teams (or team members) that wish to stay elsewhere will need to do so at their own expense. To get more detailed information, please refer to the Terms & Condition document. P&G will not compensate prizes in the case that any team members are not able to travel.
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What if we miss the deadline of the submission date for the online case?If you miss the deadline of submission you will automatically be rejected and you will not be able to continue the competition.
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How long will the Local Challenge take? What about the Finals?Local final will last 1-2 days, between 6-8 hours in each of the days. Regional Finals will last 3 days.
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What are the event dates of each stage?You can check the dates of each stage in the Key Dates table above.
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What is the prize for LA Final winners?Winners (1 team of 9) will travel to Mexico City to represent LA in the Global CEO Challenge Final. There they will participate in capability trainings on different areas of P&G business as well as enjoy some out-of-office activities. Overall duration of the trip will be up to 1 week.
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What is the prize for Global Final Winners?The team who wins the Global Final in Dubai will have the privilege to join the P&G Signal Conference 2019.
| Compete the online case study* to win a place at your Local Country/Cluster Final | Starts 20th August, 2018 |
| Compete to win as part of a team at the Local Country/Cluster Finals | Starts 26th September, 2018 |
| Winning teams participate at the European Final in Istanbul | w/c 8th April, 2019 |
| Join the best of the best at the Global Final in Dubai | 20-24th May, 2019 |
* Please note the online case study step does not apply to candidates from Austria, Germany & Switzerland
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Can anyone participate in the CEO Challenge 2018-2019?Yes, any active student studying towards a degree level qualification (or equivalent) can participate.
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How do I gain access to the online case study?Each country has its own application link, click here to find the right one for you (available as of 20th August, 2018). You should apply to the link for the country where you are studying. Once you have registered and successfully completed the application steps for your country you will be invited to participate in the online case study.
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What if I miss the deadline of the submission date for the online case study?Once invited to participate, if you miss the submission deadline you will be automatically rejected and you will not be able to continue in the competition.
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Can I complete the online case study in my native language?No, as a global competition the language for each step, starting with the online case study, will be English.
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Where will the Local Country/Cluster Finals take place?Follow the link (coming soon) to see where and when the Local Country/Cluster finals will be held. You will attend the Local Country/Cluster final for the country you are studying in.
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Will I have to attend the Local Country/Cluster final in person?Yes, after the online case study all finals; Local, European and Global are in-person events.
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Can I choose which team I join at the Local Country/Cluster Final?No, you will be appointed to a team. You will stay with this team through each subsequent stage on your way to the final. Our aim to is create diverse teams with a breadth of study topics, experience and interests.
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What if I am unable to attend on the dates of my Country/Cluster Final?Should you be unable to attend on the scheduled dates of the finals, for any stage, you will be unable to proceed in the competition.
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Where is the European Final taking place?It will take place at our P&G Office in Istanbul, Turkey.
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How and when will the winners be contacted?You will be contacted by email within 7 days after the close of the online case study, in your country/cluster, to be advised of outcome. Winners will be invited to join the next stage of the competition with details provided for the relevant County/Cluster final. At this first in-person event you will be appointed to a team and compete for a place in the European final, to be held in Istanbul in April 2019. At each in-person event teams will be assessed by a jury of P&G executives. The winning team from the European final will join other regional final winners in Dubai from 20th - 24th May, 2019.
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What is the prize for Global Final Winners?The team who wins the Global Final in Dubai will have the privilege to join the P&G Signal Conference 2019 in Cincinnati and meet our CEO, David Taylor.
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Do I need a valid passport?Yes, participants should have a valid passport (expiration date enabling travel until August 2019) if they wish to be considered for Country/Cluster, Regional and Global Finals. As per local laws based on the country of issue for use of identity card/passport for travel purposes.
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Is there a cost to participating?Participation in the competition is free for the entire competition. P&G will pay for the travel and accommodation for all participants to the Country/Cluster, Regional and Global Finals. P&G will not pay for the costs incurred in obtaining a passport, nor for extra days (accommodation or travel) if an individual or team wish to stay beyond the period defined. International passport and visa obtaining are required as per local laws to participate at the in-person events. Travel and accommodation costs include round-trip travel to the host city as well as accommodation for the duration of the stay in the host city. Accommodation will be provided at a location of P&G’s choosing. For individuals or teams that wish to stay elsewhere they will need to do so at their own expense. For more information, please refer to the Terms & Condition Document. P&G will not offer financial support for individuals or teams that are not able to travel.
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Can we be coached or advised in preparation?You may not use a coach’s help for the competition. We understand that some individuals/teams may wish to receive guidance prior to beginning the competition. This is fine, but once the competition has begun for that stage, the individual/team cannot receive guidance or assistance from anyone outside of the team. Prior to the Country/Cluster, Regional or Global Competitions, teams may receive instruction on how to present or how to perform well in a case competition. But once information for the case has been delivered to the team, they are not allowed to discuss the case, or receive help from any additional person.
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How important is it to be honest and act with integrity?We at P&G hold strong to our Purpose, Values, and Principles. Among those values are integrity and trust. We expect all participants to uphold the highest standards of integrity and trustworthiness as they prepare themselves and compete in all stages of the competition. If there is ever any situation where a violation of these values occurs by a person competing individually or as part of a team, or if a violation of these values seems to have happened, P&G reserves the right to eliminate the individual and the entire team from the competition without any question.
| Campus Rounds | August 2018 |
| National Finals | November 2018 |
| IMEA Regional Finals in South Africa | January 2019 |
| Global Finals in Dubai, UAE | May 20-24, 2019 |
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Can anyone participate in the CEO Challenge 2018-2019?Yes, any active student can form part of a team (3 people) and participate. For India only – Students from IIM A, IIM B, IIM C, XLRI, IIM L, SPJIMR, JBIMS, NITIE and ISB are eligible to participate. Students need to wait for correspondence from their respective career development cells for registration details.
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Where will the Regional Finals take place?It will take place at the P&G Headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa.
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How and when will the winners be contacted?The winning team from each campus will be chosen based on the score they achieve in the online stage. Teams will be contacted within a week after the online round has closed (by December 7th, 2018). We will reach out to the team leader using the email and/or phone number provided. Top teams from each school will be contacted in the weeks leading up to their live competition in November, 2018. The top teams from each country will be provided travel and lodging for the Regional Finals at Johannesburg, South Africa. The winning team from the Regional Finals will travel to Dubai for the Global finals during the 3rd week of May.
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Is there a cost to participating?Participation in the competition is free for the entire competition. P&G will pay for the travel and accommodations for all team members to both the Regional and Global Final. P&G will not pay for the costs incurred in obtaining a passport, nor for extra days (accommodation or travel) if the team (or team members) wish to stay beyond the period defined. International passport and visa obtaining are required as per local laws to participate in both in-person events (Johannesburg and Dubai). Travel and accommodation costs include round-trip travel from the team’s home city and host city as well as accommodations for the duration of the stay in the host city. Accommodations will be provided at a location of P&G’s choosing. Teams (or team members) that wish to stay elsewhere will need to do so at their own expense. For more information, please refer to the Terms & Conditions Document. P&G will not offer financial support for team members that are not able to travel.
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What if we miss the deadline of the submission date for the online case?If you miss the deadline of submission you will automatically be rejected and you will not be able to continue the competition.
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How long will the Regional Challenge take?The Regional Challenge case will be sent to participating teams one week (7 days) prior to the start of the competition. Teams will be given the entire week to prepare themselves. Teams are expected to arrive in Johannesburg in January 2019 before the Welcome Reception in the evening.
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What are the event dates of each stage?You can check the dates of each stage in the Key Dates table above.
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What is the prize for Global Final winners?The team who wins the Global Final in Dubai will have the privilege to join the P&G Signal Conference 2019 in Cincinnati and meet our CEO, David Taylor.
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Can we be coached or advised in preparation?Teams may not use a coach’s help for the competition. We understand that some teams may wish to receive guidance prior to beginning the competition. This is fine, but once the competition has begun for that stage, the team cannot receive guidance or assistance from anyone outside of the team. Prior to the Regional or Global Competitions, teams may receive instruction on how to present or how to perform well in a case competition. But once information for the case has been delivered to the team, they are not allowed to discuss the case, or receive help from any additional person.
-
How important is it to be honest and act with integrity?We at P&G hold strong to our Purpose, Values, and Principles. Among those values are integrity and trust. We expect all participants to uphold the highest standards of integrity and trustworthiness as they prepare themselves and compete in all portions of the competition. If there is ever any situation where a violation of these values occurs by even a single member of the team, or if a violation of these values seems to have happened, P&G reserves the right to eliminate the entire team from the competition without any question.