"Ace Manager 2014": 6th Round of Annual BNP Paribas International Online Business Game for Students

For the sixth year running, BNP Paribas is inviting entries for the Ace Manager online business game. Designed to enhance Group brand awareness in universities and colleges worldwide, the 2014 round of this international contest is open to teams of students in higher education – those studying for a Bachelor or Master’s degree – who are under 26 years of age.

Exceptionally for this year, BNP Paribas Ace Manager is open to everyone. The business game is open to everyone but only students will be eligible for the finale and prizes. Through the threeweek virtual journey, by stepping into the shoes of a banker, participants can discover the real economy and devote themselves in business world. BNP Paribas provides this opportunity to all: young professionals, retired people, managers... Moreover, everyone could improve their business English.

Ace Manager 2014 has been designed with the help of BNP Paribas hands-on banking experts, with a view to ensuring its appeal to young people. BNP Paribas has set the goal of branding itself as one of the most attractive employers among students worldwide. As for the previous round of Ace Manager, the Group has once again this year deployed an international network of Ambassadors to promote the business game within leading universities and colleges.

THE GAME, THE MISSION

The game takes place in a fictitious town called Universe-City, where an extraordinary discovery is about to unleash a series of unprecedented events.

During the online phase of the contest, participating teams, each composed of three students, will test their ability to carry out various banking tasks – involving Marketing, Management and Business Development – embedded in a number of case studies. Their goal is to come up with the best solution to help clients develop their business.

To fulfil their objectives, the contestants will have to meet numerous challenges linked to the BNP Paribas Group’s three core business areas - retail banking, asset management, and corporate and investment banking.

CONTEST SCHEDULE

This international competition will be run in English, beginning with an initial online phase from17 April – 7 May 2014 on a dedicated website: acemanager.bnpparibas.com.

Ace Manager 2014 will then conclude with a grand final between the five best-performing teams in May 2014. Teams will have to meet the final challenge in front of an expert jury composed of former teachers from participating universities and members of BNP Paribas top management.

The contest is open for entries from 15 October 2013 on the dedicated website acemanager.bnpparibas.com. Entries close on 10 April 2014.

Key dates for the sixth annual round of Ace Manager
​ - Registration is open from 15 October 2013 until 10 April 2014
​ - Contest will run during 17 April – 7 May 2014
​ - Final will take place in May 2014
​ - Prize-giving ceremony will be in late May 2014

PRIZES

All finalists will receive cash prizes as follows:

Winning team: €6,000 plus a trip to Paris
​ Runner-up team: €3,000
​ Third-placed team: €1,500

All finalists will also receive tickets to a tennis event.

The fourth round of Ace Manager attracted nearly 19,000 student contestants from 136 countries on five continents. Each year the contest brings a total of more than a million students into contact with the BNP Paribas brand. The Ace Manager website has received over 600,000 visits and the Facebook community today numbers 27,309 fans.

More than 70% of the BNP Paribas workforce is based outside France. The Group recruits talented people with very varied backgrounds and qualifications from all over the world for a range of over 300 different job categories.

BNP Paribas’ recruitment policy
​ BNP Paribas is constantly on the lookout for talent. In 2014, the Group will offer 18,000 new permanent employment contracts including 1,000 in France. As part of its pre-recruitment process, BNP Paribas hires more than 260 young people worldwide every year via VIE (volunteer jobs abroad) contracts and offers more than 1,100 internships in France to students towards the end of their course. The Group recognises the value of work-study arrangements and plans to take on 1,650 sandwich course students in 2014 at every level.
​ The BNP Paribas Group’s human resources policy is to retain staff over the long term. As such, the bank offers employees an individual career plan with advice from dedicated human resources advisors who offer guidance on career development, job transfers, etc. The Group also provides training programmes to enhance skills. Thanks to the wide range of jobs at BNP Paribas, there are opportunities for career moves, either within the same business line/department, or between different businesses and geographical locations.