FedEx invites 54 Asia-Pacific students to compete for 'Entrepreneur' title

FEDEX has announced that a group of 54 students will gather in Hong Kong to compete for the top prize in the 2012 FedEx Express/Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge Asia-Pacific Finals.

The three-day competition, from August 27 to 29, is designed to educate, build and inspire entrepreneurship and business skills among young people from Asia Pacific, a company statement said.

This year students aged between 15-19 from Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam were selected to represent their countries and territories after competing in the local challenge in their respective home markets.

During the local challenge, students devised plans detailing marketing, promotion, pricing, inventory and product distribution strategies to market a product or service to an overseas market. Winners selected for the regional finals were chosen for their understanding of the significance of market research, creativity, planning, and entrepreneurial skills in entering new markets.

The three-day regional final competition will be judged by a panel of successful entrepreneurs and business leaders in Hong Kong. They include: professor Hugh Thomas, director, Centre for Entrepreneurship, The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Viveca Chan, chairman and CEO, WE Marketing Group; Edmund Lee, executive director, Hong Kong Design Centre; and KT Poon, director (Corporate Communications), The Link Management Limited.

"The International Trade Challenge is a platform for young people to discover the entrepreneurial spirits within, and learn how to turn ideas into potential business realities," said FedEx Express Asia Pacific president David Cunningham.