National automotive company Proton has concluded the Proton Business Case Study Challenge 2025, following a grand finale held in Putrajaya. The second edition of the academic competition was won by Team WOLC from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), emerging top among 42 teams from 25 public and private universities across six regions nationwide.
The competition kicked off on 14-November, with this year’s case-study challenge centred on how Proton can lead Malaysia’s transition from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs), while remaining competitive in both segments. The brief reflected the company’s focus on the rapidly evolving automotive landscape, while also supporting its Human Capital and Administration (HCA) efforts to engage high-potential undergraduates and identify future talent. As part of the initiative, 30 conditional offers were extended to selected participants to join Proton under its Proton Young Talents (PYT) programme.
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Team ANOVA from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and Team SAA UMK from Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) secured the first and second runner-up positions, receiving cash prizes of RM 5,000 and RM 3,000 respectively. The winning team took home RM 8,000. Meanwhile, Phibert Goh Jie Hao from UNIMAS was named Best Individual Presenter, earning a cash prize of RM 1,000.
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The grand finale was judged by senior representatives from Proton and the Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii), and was attended by Dato’ Ir. Abdul Rashid Musa, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Proton. Finalist teams represented universities from across Malaysia, including Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
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Through initiatives such as the Proton Business Case Study Challenge, Proton continues to strengthen its engagement with local universities while nurturing Malaysian talent. These efforts complement the PYT programme, which has welcomed around 400 young graduates into the organisation to date. Participants benefit from structured job rotations, mentoring, peer and performance reviews, as well as hands-on project exposure, providing a strong foundation in both the automotive industry and Proton itself.
Proton’s commitment to talent development was also recognised at the HRD Awards 2025, where the company received the Human Resources Minister Award in the Large Employer category on 26 November 2025.
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“The Proton Business Case Study Challenge supports our objective of identifying high-potential undergraduates with a strong interest in the automotive industry,” said Dr Kasuma Satria, Chief Human Resources Officer of Proton. “It allows our Human Capital and Administration team to assess candidates under specific conditions, while also building a sustainable talent pipeline. This year alone, 30 conditional offers under the PYT programme have been extended, demonstrating the value of this initiative in supporting Proton’s long-term goals.”
Beyond talent acquisition, the programme also strengthens Proton’s partnerships with universities nationwide, enhances its profile as a preferred employer among young graduates, and supports the development of future leaders to drive the company’s next phase of growth.