UMN Students Win 1st Place at The IIBC 2026, Proving Capabilities in National Investment Banking Competition

The SENBOKICHI team receiving the 1st Place award at the Indonesia Investment Banking Competition (IIBC) 2026 at Prasetiya Mulya University. From left to right: Nathanael Gudfried from Binus, Fidel Mervin Effendi from UMN, Nicholas Jonathan Hendraja from Binus, and a representative of the IIBC 2026 organizers. (Doc. Fidel Mervin Effendi)

TANGERANG – Universitas Multimedia Nusantara (UMN) students have once again achieved a national-level accomplishment through the Indonesia Investment Banking Competition (IIBC) 2026. In the competition held by Prasetiya Mulya University in BSD on April 24, 2026, the SENBOKICHI team successfully won 1st Place after competing against hundreds of participants from various universities across Indonesia.

The SENBOKICHI team consisted of Fidel Mervin Effendi from UMN’s Management Study Program, class of 2023; Nathanael Gudfried from Bina Nusantara University’s Finance Study Program, class of 2022; and Nicholas Jonathan Hendraja from Bina Nusantara University’s Accounting Study Program, class of 2023. This cross-university collaboration led their team to victory in a competition renowned as one of the most prestigious in the field of investment banking in Indonesia.

The Indonesia Investment Banking Competition (IIBC) has been running for over a decade and serves as a benchmark for students’ capabilities in investment banking. The competition is fierce, with participants from both public and private universities who have strong academic backgrounds and experience in finance.

In the 2026 edition, IIBC was joined by more than 160 teams, or approximately 480 participants. Many participants already had professional experience through internships at securities firms, investment banks, or in the capital markets sector. This made the competition highly intense.

In this competition, participants were challenged to conduct an in-depth analysis of merger and acquisition strategies in the renewable energy sector. Participants were required not only to understand financial aspects but also to analyze industry conditions, corporate strategies, and macroeconomic dynamics that affect business decisions.

“This made the competition at IIBC 2026 extremely tough,” said Mervin, representing the UMN team.

For Mervin, the victory achieved by the SENBOKICHI team was not just an accomplishment in a competition. He views IIBC as a means of evaluating his learning process and personal development during his time pursuing competitions and internship experience in investment banking.

Over the past year, Mervin has actively participated in various finance competitions. These experiences honed his analytical abilities, which he then directly applied to solve the case presented at IIBC 2026. He also considers this victory as proof that UMN students can compete in national-level financial competitions.

“I am also proud to carry UMN’s name in winning 1st Place at IIBC 2026, as a form of appreciation for the support given by UMN from the very beginning of my competition journey until now, and also to prove that UMN students can compete in the finance realm, especially in investment banking competitions,” Mervin said.

The success of the SENBOKICHI team was also born from a strong collaborative process among its members. Although they came from different universities, they shared the same vision from the start: to win the competition.

The team was formed by considering shared values and work ethic. For them, technical skills alone were not enough. The commitment to go above and beyond their respective tasks was a crucial factor in building synergy throughout the competition.

“The collaboration with BINUS students was certainly not just an ordinary collaboration. From the start, we set a target for our team to win this competition,” Mervin emphasized.

In solving the given case study, the SENBOKICHI team relied on in-depth analytical skills. They focused not only on numbers but also on understanding the story and business conditions behind the companies’ financial reports.

The ability to build complex financial models, read financial statements, understand industry conditions, analyze companies’ competitive advantages, and examine macroeconomic factors became the main strengths that set their team apart from other participants. These abilities were acquired through a combination of academic experience and professional practice during internships.

Behind this achievement, Mervin acknowledged that his academic and organizational journey at UMN played a significant role in shaping his current abilities. One of the most influential environments for him was UMN’s Capital Market Study Group (Kelompok Studi Pasar Modal/KSPM).

Through KSPM UMN, he not only learned the basics of the capital market but also developed an analytical mindset, research capabilities, and built connections with industry professionals. The supportive environment also encouraged him to continue growing and pursue various opportunities in finance.

“I could say that without KSPM UMN, the person I am today wouldn’t exist,” Mervin said.

According to Mervin, the learning gained during his studies at UMN helped him throughout the competition, both technically and non-technically. Critical thinking, problem-solving, professional communication, and presentation skills became important assets when facing case studies and judging sessions.

He also noted that the existence of KSPM UMN is one of the factors supporting the development of students who want to delve into finance and investment banking. Various seminars, training sessions, competitions, and activities with industry practitioners provide broader learning spaces for students from various study programs.

“KSPM UMN is not just an organization but also a learning platform for students,” Mervin said.

After winning 1st Place at IIBC 2026, Mervin admitted to gaining significant insights, particularly in critical thinking, problem-solving, and time management. The experience became even more valuable because all team members had to balance their time between the competition and their ongoing internship activities.

Moving forward, he is committed to continuously developing his skills and participating in various other finance competitions. Events such as ICMSS and the Deloitte M&A Case are his next targets.

“Don’t be afraid to start. Expand your knowledge, skills, and network,” Mervin concluded.

By Melinda Chang | UMN News Service

English translation by Levina Chrestella Theodora

Kuliah di Jakarta untuk jurusan program studi Informatika| Sistem Informasi | Teknik Komputer | Teknik Elektro | Teknik Fisika | Akuntansi | Manajemen| Komunikasi Strategis | Jurnalistik | Desain Komunikasi Visual | Film dan Animasi | Arsitektur | D3 Perhotelan , di Universitas Multimedia Nusantara.