UAE & KSA university students gear up for Henkel Innovation Challenge

Nov. 4, 2012 - PRLog -- UAE & KSA university students gear

up for Henkel Innovation Challenge

This is innovation with a difference; an initiative that takes Henkel’s commitment to community to a different level. Since its inception, Henkel has always believed in direct and intensive communications with the student community. One of the company’s key initiatives in this direction is the Henkel’s international competition targeting students – the Henkel Innovation Challenge.

This year, the Henkel Innovation Challenge is into its sixth annual edition, and brings together students from 27 countries globally on a common platform. The Innovation Challenge offers unmatched opportunities for students to gain valuable business experience, come up with brilliant ideas and develop contacts during the course of the competition.

Asli Tumer, Organization Development Manager – GCC from Henkel, said: “Our vision at Henkel is to be a global leader in brands and technologies. Driving change and innovation is one of our core competencies. Through Henkel Innovation Challenge, we offer students the possibility to translate theoretical knowledge into practice and gain a business experience. We are excited to see new ideas that the students will bring with this simulation and to use this opportunity for employer branding purposes to attract the right talent on-the-spot for possible positions at Henkel.”

What is Henkel Innovation Challenge?

The Henkel Innovation Challenge invites students from across the globe to create a new product or technology for a Henkel brand in 2050 and triple the value they create by promoting sustainable development. The best teams will develop their own idea supported by Henkel mentors and present it in front of a Henkel top-level management jury for the regional semifinals in February 2013. The top teams selected in the semifinals will be invited to the international final in Shanghai (18-20 March, 2013) for the final round of the challenge. The 1st place winning team will receive a ticket around the world worth 10,000€.

Regional outreach to universities

The Henkel Innovation Challenge is open to all students across UAE and Saudi Arabia and offers them a unique platform to bring forth their creativity on an international platform. As part of its efforts to enhance creativity and innovation among the student community in Saudi Arabia and UAE, Henkel GCC launched the outreach program for the Henkel Innovation Challenge for the first time.

Within the scope of this initiative, the Henkel Human Resources team with members from the different business units set the ball rolling by showcasing the challenge to students across different universities in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, namely American University in Dubai [AUD] and the American University of Sharjah [AUS] and the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in the Kingdom. I would not mention name here as preference. Because also Hult Business School and others are our business partners which we visited in UAE and KSA. We can mention all the names we have conducted the event so far: AUS, AUD, Hult, KFUPM.

Mahdi Al-Dugaish, Recruitment & Training Manager in Saudi Arabia from Henkel, said: “Henkel places great value on direct and intensive communication with students and the Henkel Innovation Challenge is a great opportunity for students to acquire valuable business experience, ideas and contacts, which will help them immensely in their career paths.”

Apart from offering thrilling learning experiences and plenty of fun, the initiative is a great opportunity to young talented minds to put their acquired theories into practice and establish valuable personal contacts with Henkel at an early stage in their careers – evident from the interest generated during the introductory sessions.

How to enroll for the Henkel Innovation Challenge?

All the students need to do is to log into www.henkelchallenge.com and apply. Last date for registration is December 12, 2012.

About Henkel

Henkel operates worldwide with leading brands and technologies in three business areas: Laundry & Home Care, Beauty Care and Adhesive Technologies. Founded in 1876, Henkel holds globally leading market positions both in the consumer and industrial businesses with well-known brands such as Persil, Schwarzkopf and Loctite. Henkel employs about 47,000 people and reported sales of 15,605 million euros and adjusted operating profit of 2,029 million euros in fiscal 2011. Henkel’s preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX.

For Media Contact

Nada Almarhoon

Corporate Communications Manager, GCC

Phone:  +971 43893473