Four teams of five senior managers and managers from FEO pit their entrepreneurship skills against teams from various industries including banking and manufacturing as well as from the universities and polytechnics. This competition started on 20 September, with the final held three days later on 23 September 2005.

Team BUILDers comprising Neo Keng Hoe (team leader), Arthur Khong, Shaw Lay See, Tan Kee Will, and Yeh Siew Ho came in third in the Open Category and made it to the Grand Final, where they won fifth placing. Their third placing in the Open Category won them $500, and as an additional encouragement they were given a one night-stay at the Fullerton Singapore by the Organization.

B.E.S.T. was developed by NTUC Income to challenge the participants on their strategic thinking and decision-making skills in a realistic simulated environment across a virtual time frame of 10 years. The competition was played under compress time, with intentionally brief information, to simulate real business conditions. Participants have to rely on their skills and business acumen to respond to the different variables within a three-hour period.

“This competition fostered our learning as a team. We were given as little as five minutes to make our decisions for 4 insurance products to beat our competitors. Our team worked on each other’s strengths - Kee Will and Siew Ho are experts in interpreting our financial performance, Lay See and I made sales forecast and Arthur advised on HR issues. Before we make our decisions for each financial year, we also had to evaluate economic conditions, market intelligence and other ‘companies’ results’”, said Keng Hoe.

On the personal front, Keng Hoe shared that the BEST experience brought him closer to all members of the team. The time spent together provided learning opportunities of each other’s roles and challenges. Together with the experience gained from the competition, he acquired a better understanding on managing the business.

Our three other teams comprised Liang Thow Ming, Nancy Tan, Stanley Poon, Kenneth Foong, Yoong Hsiun Kee, Rachael Wang, Tan Siew Keow, Catherine Chak, Sia Peng Peng, Selina Chin, Daryl Lee, Lim Moh Cher, Raymond Lim, Evelyn Chang and Winston Chan.