Henrik Olsen

Interview with Henrik Olsen

1. When were you an active case student at BI and at which campus?

I was part of the BI case teams from fall 2022 to spring 2023.

2. Why did you decide to join BI’s case activities?

I had recently completed a semester abroad, during which I had the opportunity to work with real-life cases through classes and assignments. This experience proved to be highly educational and fascinating. Its impact motivated me to pursue ongoing involvement with cases, aiming to further develop my problem-solving skills. As a result, I made the decision to join BI Case Teams. 

3. What was the name of your case team and how did you find your teammates?

The organizers assembled the teams, assigning us a new team for each case we solved. These teams were carefully balanced and formed according to our backgrounds and skillsets. The main team I was a part of and went to an international competition with was called "Delta Consulting."

4. Did you have a specific role on your team? 

The roles within the team would often vary. After solving a couple of cases, I ended up being responsible for the financial modeling and development of the strategy plan.

5. Which case competitions did you take part in? 

• CBS International Case Competition
• BI National Case Competition
• Oslo Handelsstands Forening Food Battle

6. What is your best memory from your case journey at BI?

My best memory got to be the CBS Case Competition. We spent an entire week in Copenhagen, which offered a perfect blend of case solving, networking, and going out. What I enjoyed the most was creating good memories with my teammates, who also became great friends.

7. What are your top three takeaways from case training and competitions?

1. How to attack a problem. When I first delved into case solving, it felt a bit overwhelming to receive an entire problem that I often had little knowledge about.. However, after solving a few cases, I acquired the ability to dissect problems and solve them step by step.
2. Presenting and communicating a case solution is something I hadn’t done during my studies. Therefore, it was great to gain real experience in developing the skill of presenting through cases, especially since this will be an important aspect for a future career.   
3. Don't lose focus on the bigger picture. It is crucial to keep in mind the problem you are attempting to solve. After spending several hours working on a case, it is easy to become absorbed in minor details and lose sight of the actual problem at hand.

8. What skills did you learn from participating in case which were relevant to your development/career and how?

Participating in cases significantly enhanced my PowerPoint skills, including slide deck design, creating professional visuals, and delivering clear messages. Moreover, the case training taught me invaluable lessons in teamwork, how to adapt to each other's strengths and weaknesses and effectively utilize the available resources.

9. Do you have any advice to students who are curious about case?

Go ahead and give it a shot. Joining the case teams presents two possible outcomes: you will either have a lot of fun or learn a lot while having fun. It’s a win-win scenario either way.