For Liu Fen Phaw, curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to step out of his comfort zone are what defined his journey during his undergraduate program. Now working at multinational company, Huawei, as purchasing specialist, Liu looks back on is time as a BINUSIAN 2025 with pride, particularly the experiences he gained through competitions and the BINUS Business Consulting Group (BBCG).

 

How It Started and Achievements that Shape Liu’s Journey

Liu’s interest in business competitions starts as soon as he became the freshmen for International Business Management program. A flyer on BINUSMAYA website introduced him to BBCG, when it was still the early-stage community. He resonated deeply with BBCG’s goals and decided to give it a shot. “Di BBCG, ada training dan coaching untuk Business Case Competitions dan Business Plan Competition di level nasional dan internasional. Saya sangat berterima kasih terhadap BBCG karena saya dapat exchange ideas dan kolaborasi dengan teman-teman yang sangat menginspirasi.” Expressed by Liu. Signaling how thankful he is for being a part of BBCG.

Among his many experiences in Business Case Competition, two stand out as the most meaningful. The first was representing BINUS University in the BBC HSBC Competition, one of the biggest platforms for business students. Though he did not reach the top three, Liu considers the opportunity itself an honor. “Even though gak menang jadi top 3, pengalaman ini buat saya bangga. Hal ini membuka mata saya tentang scope dari BBCG dan mendorong saya untuk kembali belajar lebih giat.”

The second was securing second place at a competition hosted by Prasmul University, which he regards as his most valuable achievement. “Itu adalah momen yang paling membuat saya bangga, rasanya setiap kerja keras saya terbayar.”

 

Why BBCG Became a Hook?

For Liu, what makes BBCG so compelling for him is because its real-world relevance. Quoted, “BBCG mengajarkan saya skillsets yang dibutuhkan dalam dunia kerja. Problem-solving, di dunia kerja pasti ada masalah dan belajar untuk mengetahui akar permasalahan itu akan mempermudah (kita) untuk membuat solusi yang efektif. Hal ini sama dengan komunikasi, mau sesama manager dan tim, bisa menjelaskan ide ada hal yang penting.” Liu explains how these skills are developed through his experiences in BBCG.

Beyond learning, preparing for competition also become a big part of Liu’s life in BBCG. He developed personal development through emphasizes the importance of confidence and staying up-to-date with trends and research. Especially for marketing competitions, he recalls to understand how to link promotion strategies with actual consumer purchasing behavior was key.

Balancing Leadership, Academics, and Growth

Liu Fen Phaw is not only the ace card of BBCG, but also the respectful leader of SHARE BINUS. Balancing organizations, academic, and business case career was pretty challenging. However, Liu found a very effective ways to balance these out. Blocking time, setting task priorities, and delegating it effectively are his secret power.

“Saya alokasi semuanya di Google Calander, prioritasin dari urgency dan impactnya, delegasiin ke tim kalau ada yang bisa diselesaikan sebagai tim. Dengan gitu, aku masih bisa cari time-off untuk istirahat dan menghindari burnout.”

 

IBM’s Supportive Role and Tips for Future BINUSIAN

Liu acknowledges how much the International Business Management Department supported his journey. From allowing flexibility during competition absences to sharing valuable information about exchanges, expos, and events, IBM created an ecosystem that encouraged both hard and soft skill development. “Dukugan (dari IBM) membuat banyak perubahan positif.”

Other than that, Liu Revealed his own advice for incoming BINUSIAN to be curious. “BINUS itu besar dan banyak banget kesempatan. Kalau kamu terus curious, kamu akan menemukan banyak cara untuk mengembangkan hard and soft skills. Buat saya, curiosity membuat saya mencari lebih banyak informasi, kontak alumni yang pernah ikut suatu event (yang saya mau ikut), dan belajar dari pengalaman mereka. Itu cara saya menemukan apa yang saya mau lakukan selama S1.”

Liu leaves a quote to remember, “The future is in your hands. Be curiois and be hungry to catch opportunities. Because the more ready you are, the more chances you’ll get.”