Ealing’s University of West London has played host to the inaugural Claude’s Business Challenge, a competition that brought together fifty postgraduate students for a fortnight of pitches, sales strategies and entrepreneurial grit.
The contest concluded earlier this month (6 June 2025) with an awards ceremony attended by business figurehead and The Apprentice star Claude Littner and his wife Thelma. It was jointly organised by the Claude Littner Business School, the UWL Business Society and the Students’ Union.
MBA and MSc International Business Management students went head-to-head in a series of one-day business challenges, designed to test innovation, teamwork and strategic thinking. The winner walked away with a £10,000 prize, while the runner-up received £5,000 – both funded by Littner, who also offered a personal mentoring session to a standout team.
The event was conceived by MBA student and Business Society co-chair Sanaa Sirajuddin Kazi, who oversaw the design and delivery of the four challenge days, each focusing on a key area of business: innovation, branding, sales, and strategy. With a knockout format and a panel of judges drawn from CLBS, four teams progressed to the final round.
Participants were praised for their energy, creativity and composure under pressure.
Muhammad Abdullah from the winning team said: “These challenges are one of the things that set UWL apart from other universities. It was a really great experience.”
Runner-up Opeyemi Olutayo added: “This innovative challenge brings out the best in us, the things we learnt in class and puts them into real life scenarios. I want to say thanks to UWL, because it is an experience you don’t get anywhere else. I am very grateful for this opportunity.”
Claude Littner commented: “I am so delighted with the way the students have behaved, with the whole organisation. It has been magnificent. If this is a testament to the way business studies students, graduates and MBA students operate, we are in for a wonderful time here at Claude Littner Business School because students were and are absolutely magnificent.”
Sanaa, reflecting on her leadership role, said: “I am happy that I was given so much support to run this, from CLBS, the Dean, the Students’ Union, the faculty—everybody has pushed me to make it great, to make it successful. I stand here feeling extremely proud of myself and the team that have helped me organise everything.”
Dr Amelia Au-Yeung, dean of CLBS, added: “Sanaa’s distinctive vision and unwavering dedication have been the driving forces behind this well-executed and inspiring competition. We are indebted to Claude for his exceptional generosity and continued commitment to championing future business leaders. Congratulations to all the students who took part, especially the prize winners. Your performance has made us proud, and we look forward to seeing how you carry this experience forward in your careers.”
