Kuala Lumpur, 20 February – The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre) recently hosted the exciting Dragon’s Den-style business competition, in collaboration with Charterhouse School Malaysia. This unique initiative brought together some of the city’s top private schools, challenging students aged 17-18 to pitch innovative business solutions aimed at driving the venue’s commercial food and beverage (F&B) business, namely the Parkview Café and Cafe88.
As part of the Centre’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, this collaboration provided students with real-world industry exposure, challenging their critical business, strategic planning, as well as problem-solving skills. The initiative also introduced students to the venue and hospitality industry as a potential career path.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Charterhouse Malaysia in fostering the next generation of business leaders and kudos to all the teams. By challenging students to solve real business problems, we hope to inspire them to think critically about consumer behaviour, revenue growth and strategic marketing while introducing them to the dynamic world of venue management. It was especially delightful to see the students’ dedication to pitching ideas and in their interest in our industry,” said John Burke, General Manager, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
Teams from seven leading private schools competed to develop creative, market-ready solutions to drive footfall to the Centre’s Parkview Café and Cafe88. The venue’s senior leadership team evaluated the team’s ideas based on feasibility, innovation, and impact.
“This competition has been an invaluable learning experience for our students, bridging the gap between classroom knowledge and real-world business application. They have shown great camaraderie, courage and hard work in presenting their idea to experienced industry professionals. We are proud to work with the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre to provide such an enriching opportunity as part of our education,” said the organiser of the competition, Joseph Cooling, Head of Business/Economics, Charterhouse Malaysia.
The winning teams, Help International School, Garden International School and the British International School Kuala Lumpur, will now take their concept one step further, working alongside the Centre’s F&B operations team to adapt and implement their winning strategies at the Parkview Café and Cafe88. This hands-on experience will allow students to witness their ideas come to life in a real-world, commercial setting.
“I am incredibly proud of my students for their hard work and ingenuity throughout this competition. Having the opportunity to work on a real business challenge at such a prestigious venue has been an eye-opening experience for them, and I am excited to see their ideas take shape in a commercial setting,” said Natasha Gertruida Mcleish, Head of Business/Economics, Help International School.
This initiative is particularly meaningful as the Centre celebrates its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of excellence in the business events industry. As the leading venue looks to the future, nurturing young talent and fostering innovation remains a key focus, reinforcing its commitment to education, entrepreneurship and industry collaboration.
Other participants included Charterhouse Malaysia, Taylor’s International School, Save School, and the IGB International School.
