Impressive analytical thinking led a Berkeley MBA team to claim second place in the Kellogg Biotech and Healthcare Case Competition on Jan. 22. Evening and weekend students Huzefa Neemuchwala and Avi Roop, both MBA 13, and Rajat Rajgarhia, MBA 12, combined forces with full-time students Sameera Chilakapati and Rachel Sherman, both MBA 12, to best 10 other teams from U.S. and international business schools.
Competitors had one week to develop a 2015 revenue forecast for Amgen’s denosumab, an approved biologic with osteoporosis and oncology applications. To develop their forecast, Team “Bear-Cross, Bear-Shield” split research between the oncology and osteoporosis segments and designated one person to analyze and integrate the findings.
“The judges thought we performed an excellent top-down analysis,” says Neemuchwala, principal scientist with women’s health company Hologic. “We scored the highest on analytical thinking. They also scored us high on our research and initiative and commended us for benchmarking our estimates.” Executives from competition sponsor Abbott Laboratories judged the competition.
The team members connected through the Haas Healthcare Association, with each bringing four to 14 years of health care experience in consulting, R&D, sales, and regulatory affairs to the effort. Next up for the association: The Business of Healthcare Conference on March 12.
Haas Team "Bear Cross Bear Shield" at the Kellogg Biotech and Healthcare Case Competition: Huzefa Neemuchwala and Avi Roop, both MBA 13; Rachel Sherman and Sameera Chilakapati, both MBA/MPH 12; and Rajat Rajgarhia, MBA 12.