From Berkeley Global to Competition Leaders
This year’s Cesim Elite International Student Competition brought together more than 20,000 students from around the world across six regional divisions, with just 16 finalist teams advancing to the global stage. Representing Berkeley Global, The French Bears team—made up of international students from our custom visiting-student program—rose to the challenge and earned an impressive second-place finish worldwide.
Meet the Team: The French Bears
Mateo Bidan
Originally from France, Mateo is passionate about entrepreneurship, marketing and global business strategy. During his time with us, he focused on innovation management and sustainable growth models, bringing a sharp analytical lens and an adaptable mindset to every challenge.
Maxime Igor Elliott Argillier
Maxime combines creativity and strategic thinking with a strong interest in finance and technology-driven innovation. His global perspective and precision-oriented approach helped the team excel in the competition’s complex decision-making simulations.
Esteban Paul Antoine Gil
With a keen interest in leadership, consulting and digital transformation, Esteban thrives in fast-paced, team-based environments. His reflective approach to each round of the competition helped The French Bears continuously refine their strategy and performance.
Cesare Duca
Cesare is drawn to strategy, innovation and the intersection of technology and sustainability. At Berkeley Global, he deepened his understanding of data-driven business decisions and creative problem-solving, both of which became key to the team’s success.
Constantin Reillier
Constantin brings an analytical mindset and calm leadership style to his work in business and management. His ability to synthesize data quickly and make confident decisions under pressure proved essential throughout the global competition.
Competing on the Global Stage
The competition featured two main business simulations that tested strategy, innovation and teamwork.
In the first, focused on retail operations, the team optimized pricing, marketing and investment decisions to achieve sustainable growth—ultimately placing first in the North American qualifiers.
In the second simulation, the challenge shifted to portfolio strategy and innovation, requiring teams to develop a technology-driven investment approach and present a case on how a firm could build a sustainable competitive advantage. The French Bears finished second globally, achieving the highest scores on the simulation side and delivering a standout case presentation.
“Every round felt like a new start,” recalls Constantin. “We had to read the data fast, stay calm and trust our instincts as a team.”
Participation in our visiting-student program proved instrumental in shaping the team’s success. The coursework and culture encouraged them to look beyond conventional frameworks, stay curious and approach challenges collaboratively.
“The program helped us see patterns where others might see noise,” explains Cesare. “We kept playing with the variables to fine-tune our choices and spot insights others could miss.”
Through the program’s focus on creative problem-solving and real-world strategy, the team developed an agile mindset—one that balanced data-driven decision-making with the confidence to pivot quickly.
“After each round, we took a step back, looked at what worked and came back stronger,” adds Esteban. “That rhythm made us better every time.”
The program helped us see patterns where others might see noise.
Powered by Berkeley Global Values
From the classroom to the global stage, the team carried forward the Berkeley Global values of excellence, collaboration and openness to new ideas. These principles guided them as they managed complex simulations covering market entry, pricing, marketing, ESG, HR and finance—all while competing against some of the world’s most prestigious universities.
“We didn’t follow a rigid plan,” says Mateo. “We adapted each round and made the next call as clearly as we could.”
“I realized how much a small adjustment could change the outcome,” adds Maxime. “Patience and precision really pay off.”
Their second-place global finish not only reflects their skill and perseverance, but also showcases how our visiting-student program empowers students to apply Berkeley Global’s forward-thinking approach to real-world business challenges.
