BeijingMay 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On April 25, 2026, the regional finals of the IMA (15th) Campus Management Accounting Case Competition concluded successfully. Dozens of teams from seven regions across the country (North China, Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, Central China, East China, and South China) competed in the regional finals at China University of Political Science and Law, Northwest Normal University, Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, Chongqing University of Technology, Wuhan University of Technology, as well as at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Honor Device Co., Ltd. The first, second, and third prizes for each region were ultimately awarded.
The seven teams that won first prize in the regional finals will advance to the national finals to be held in Beijing on June 13, where they will showcase an even higher level of competition on the national stage and radiate increasingly dazzling confidence.
Below are the detailed reports from each region’s regional finals:
North China Region
The North China regional final was successfully held at China University of Political Science and Law. The judges for this competition were Zeng Zhaowu, Party Committee Member, Director, and Executive Deputy General Manager of Beijing International Human Capital Group Co., Ltd.; Wang Wei, Partner at Tianzhi International Certified Public Accountants; Cao Yanxiao (CMA), Financial Leader at a state-owned enterprise; Hu Zhi (CMA), Business Supervisor at China Shenhua Coal to Liquid and Chemical Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China Energy; and Shen Yue (CMA), Tianjin Accounting Consulting Expert and Founder of Dayueyue Enterprise Management Consulting Studio. Xia Ning, Director of the Accounting Department at the Business School of China University of Political Science and Law; Tang Menghan, Director of Market Communications at IMA Institute of Management Accountants; along with team advisors and participants, attended the event.
Xia Ning, Director of the Accounting Department at the Business School of China University of Political Science and Law, first expressed gratitude for the trust placed by the competition organizing committee. He then introduced the disciplinary characteristics and educational achievements of the Business School, emphasizing the importance of management accounting in today’s business environment and noting that this competition provides a valuable platform for university students to apply theoretical knowledge to practice. Director Xia expressed hope that the event would further promote the integration of industry and education, jointly cultivating more high-quality management accounting talent.
Tang Menghan, Director of Market Communications at IMA Institute of Management Accountants, stated in her address that the IMA Campus Management Accounting Case Competition has always been committed to building a bridge connecting theory and practice, as well as academia and industry. She noted that in a rapidly changing business environment, management accounting, as a vital tool for corporate decision support, is becoming increasingly valuable. This competition, by simulating real business scenarios, aims to help participating students deepen their understanding and application of management accounting.
During the presentation session, the judges provided detailed analysis and feedback on the teams’ case content construction, data analysis, and report writing quality, offering constructive suggestions for improvement to help participants further enhance their professional learning and practice in the future.
After deliberation, Shen Yue (CMA), Tianjin Accounting Consulting Expert and Founder of Dayueyue Enterprise Management Consulting Studio, delivered a comprehensive review on behalf of the judging panel. He pointed out that the cases selected for the IMA Campus Management Accounting Case Competition are all based on real corporate scenarios, effectively testing the teams’ logical thinking and independent analytical skills. Shen further emphasized that with the advancement of digitalization and intelligence, corporate demand for management accounting talent continues to grow; they are not only professional think tanks supporting corporate decisions but also key forces driving value creation and sustainable development.
Northwest Region
The Northwest regional final was hosted by the School of Management at Northwest Normal University and concluded successfully. The judges for this final included Li Zongyi, Senior Partner at DaXin Certified Public Accountants and General Manager of the Northwest Business Headquarters; Wang Zhiguo, General Manager of Wuwei Jinying Finance and Taxation Consulting Management Co., Ltd.; Fan Cang (CMA), Deputy General Manager of the Financial Center at Gansu Qilianshan Cement Group Co., Ltd.; Wei Chunming (CMA), Deputy General Manager and Chief Financial Officer of Lanzhou ZiHuan Asset Management Co., Ltd.; and Ma Xin from DaHua Certified Public Accountants Gansu Branch. Zhou Liang, North China Regional Director at IMA Institute of Management Accountants, and Dong Qing, Dean of the School of Management at Northwest Normal University, attended the event in person.
Dean Dong Qing delivered a welcome speech on behalf of the host institution. He highly praised the IMA Campus Management Accounting Case Competition and particularly noted that in the AI era, it is especially important for students to strengthen their learning and practice of management accounting, especially in cultivating business insight and innovative thinking.
Zhou Liang, North China Regional Director at IMA Institute of Management Accountants, stated in his address that the IMA Management Accounting Competency Framework keeps pace with the times, incorporating content such as AI and sustainable development. In the future, empowered by technological innovation, it will usher in a new period of leapfrog growth. The IMA Campus Management Accounting Case Competition will also become a global professional platform for university students to solidify their knowledge systems, sharpen business insights, and enhance communication, management, and leadership skills.
Li Zongyi, Senior Partner at DaXin Certified Public Accountants and General Manager of the Northwest Business Headquarters, delivered a comprehensive review on behalf of the judging panel. He stated that the participating teams demonstrated solid professional competence in business-finance integration and data analysis, fully reflecting the positive results of combining management accounting teaching with practice. Looking ahead, he hopes everyone will continue to deepen their understanding of intelligent tool applications, truly growing into backbone management accounting professionals supporting corporate strategy and operations.
Northeast Region
The Northeast regional final was successfully held at Dongbei University of Finance and Economics. Geng Wei, Vice Dean of the International Business College at Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, and Li Yiming, Director of the Teaching Department at the International Business College, attended the regional final. The judges included Zhou Shouliang, Dean of the International College at Dalian University; Jia Xingfei, Vice Dean of the International Business College at Dalian Minzu University; Zhen Jing, Senior Operations Finance Manager for Asia Pacific at Tenneco Automotive; Xue Xinyu, Partner at DaXin Management Consulting (Beijing) Co., Ltd.; and Zhang Jianan (CMA), General Ledger Finance Supervisor at Accenture Information Technology Dalian Co., Ltd. Lang Chao, Head of the IMA Campus Management Accounting Case Competition; Hao Shibo from Dalian Borui Education Consulting Co., Ltd.; along with team advisors and participants, attended the event.
Geng Wei, Vice Dean of the International Business College at Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, first welcomed and thanked the competition organizing committee, expert judges, and teams. He introduced the disciplinary characteristics and educational achievements of the International Business College, noting that the college adheres to the motto “Diligence and Integrity as Foundation, Innovation and Distinction as Goal,” committed to cultivating innovative, interdisciplinary, international, and socially responsible outstanding financial and economic talent. He emphasized the critical importance of management accounting in today’s business environment and pointed out that this competition provides a valuable platform for university students to apply theoretical knowledge to practice. Vice Dean Geng expressed hope that this event would further promote deep integration of industry and education, jointly cultivating more high-quality management accounting talent for society.
Lang Chao, General Head of the IMA Campus Management Accounting Case Competition, stated in his address that the competition carries a deep mission of nurturing talent through competition and serving the changes of the times. It is not just a competition but a transformative journey from campus elite to business pillar, guiding young students to decode complex business logic in real-world scenarios and achieve a leap from “learning knowledge” to “mastering value.” Facing the wave of digital intelligence and the new landscape of global competition, the competition adheres to a high-level application orientation, committed to forging a group of future interdisciplinary talents with global vision, strategic thinking, and professional core capabilities, making them a powerful engine driving industry innovation and promoting high-quality economic and social development.
Southwest Region
The Southwest regional final was successfully held at Chongqing University of Technology. Wang Bo, Dean and Professor of the School of Accounting at Chongqing University of Technology; Liu Lei, Vice Dean and Associate Professor of the School of Accounting; and Zhou Xiang, Director of Academic Relations for IMA China, attended the event. The judges included Gong Yifei, Professor of Accounting at the School of Economics and Management, Southwest University, Doctor of Management, Graduate Supervisor, and Non-Practicing Member of the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants; Xiao Qijian (CMA), Director of the IMA Global Research Foundation; Zhou Xin (CMA), Finance Head of multiple joint ventures under Trip.com Group; Yang Jihong (CMA), Secretary of the Board and Financial Director of BP YPC Acetyls Co., Ltd. (seconded from INEOS Aromatics Ethanol Shanghai Co., Ltd.); and Peng Yuting, Senior Finance Manager at Chongqing Qijin Food Group Co., Ltd., Senior Accountant, Certified Tax Agent, and Chongqing Government Bid Evaluation Expert.
Wang Bo, Dean of the School of Accounting at Chongqing University of Technology, first expressed gratitude to the competition organizing committee, judging experts, and sister institutions. She then introduced the profound educational heritage, development positioning, and achievements of Chongqing University of Technology, highly recognizing the core value of management accounting and the significant impact of this competition. She expressed hope for deepening industry-education integration cooperation to jointly cultivate high-quality management accounting talent and support industry development.
Zhou Xiang, Director of Academic Relations for IMA China, stated that the IMA Campus Management Accounting Case Competition is based on real business scenarios, integrating management accounting theory and practice, deepening accounting education reform, and empowering high-quality industry development. IMA will continue to rely on the competition platform to deepen the popularization and application of management accounting, promoting talent cultivation in university accounting programs through competition.
Gong Yifei, Professor of Accounting at the School of Economics and Management, Southwest University, Doctor of Management, Graduate Supervisor, and Non-Practicing Member of the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants, provided a comprehensive summary and review of the competition. She shared her insights on the competition cases, noting that each participating team had distinct advantages and highlights, but also common issues such as insufficient case analysis and industry comparison. She encouraged students to delve deeper into the logic and business essence behind ESG.
Central China Region
The Central China regional final was successfully held at Wuhan University of Technology. Wang Chao, Vice Dean and Professor of the School of Management at Wuhan University of Technology; Li Chaofan, Deputy Director and Professor of the Accounting Department at the School of Management; Xiong Mengxu, Lecturer at the Accounting Department; Li Yunting, Director of Cooperation and Development for Central China and Southwest China at IMA Institute of Management Accountants; and team advisors attended the event. The judges included Yang Jie, Professor at the School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan); Hu Hao (CMA), President of the Xiaogan Branch of Hankou Bank Co., Ltd.; Hu Yang (CMA), Financial Director of Alfa-Beta (Wuhan) Engineering Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the EDF Group; Li Ling (CMA), Financial Director of Hubei Xipu Environmental Technology Co., Ltd.; and Hu Aya (CMA), South China Regional Finance Head of Shiseido Liyuan Cosmetics Co., Ltd.
Professor Wang Chao, Vice Dean of the School of Management at Wuhan University of Technology, stated in his opening address that management accounting is not only a professional skill but also a key tool for solving complex business problems. He encouraged participating students to hone their thinking through practice and enhance their decision-making abilities in uncertain environments.
Li Yunting, IMA Central China and Southwest China Director, stated that in the context of the booming digital economy, management accounting is becoming a core engine for enterprises to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and optimize resource allocation. She hopes that participating teams will gain insight into the business environment, understand business thinking, and use management accounting knowledge to solve practical problems in real business scenarios, enhancing their professional awareness and management accounting application capabilities before entering the workplace, thereby boosting their employment competitiveness.
During the competition, the participating teams generally demonstrated capabilities beyond traditional financial analysis, actively using various management accounting tools to delve into business model innovation and decision-making simulation, reflecting the trend of management accounting’s practical application in strategic design and value creation. During the judges’ deliberation, Professor Yang Jie from the School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), provided a comprehensive summary of the competition and praised the participants for their strong structured thinking, adaptability, and professional competence in applying management accounting to solve practical problems.
East China Region
The East China regional final was successfully held at PricewaterhouseCoopers. The judges included Lin Nan, MBA Academic Director and Chair of the Department of Strategy and Innovation at the College of Business, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics; Liu Hongmei, Vice President of Finance for Pico China; Yan Nan (CMA), Financial Director of Xushun (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. and Chair of the Nanjing CMA Elite Club; Cai Gengqing, Partner in Enterprise Business-Finance Digital Consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers; and He Yunxuan (CMA), Head of the Asia Regional Finance Shared Service Center at Mettler Toledo. Zhang Xinyu (CMA) from Hangzhou Taxation served as the special host for the competition. Zhang Lin, Director of Cooperation and Development for East China and South China at IMA Institute of Management Accountants, along with team advisors and participants, attended the event. Dozens of volunteers from the CMA Shanghai Elite Club and universities provided full on-site support.
Zhang Lin, Director of Cooperation and Development for East China and South China at IMA Institute of Management Accountants, emphasized in her address that IMA has been committed to building an ecosystem connecting “academic frontiers, industrial practice, and career development.” She pointed out that the core value of the IMA Campus Management Accounting Case Competition lies in simulating real business decision-making environments. Its purpose is not just competition but to allow students to truly hone their strategic thinking, resource integration, and value creation capabilities while solving specific, complex local business cases, thereby providing enterprises and society with practical talent capable of creating immediate value.
On the competition floor, the teams engaged in a brilliant contest full of critical thinking and innovation, leveraging their solid professional foundations and keen business insights. The atmosphere was lively, showcasing the outstanding potential and vibrant energy of the new generation of management accounting talent.
Yan Nan (CMA), Financial Director of Xushun (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. and Chair of the CMA Nanjing Elite Club, delivered a comprehensive review on behalf of the judges. He pointed out that the cases in the IMA Campus Management Accounting Case Competition are all derived from real corporate scenarios, helping participating students better address complex issues in corporate transformation. The competition, based on a management accounting professional perspective, guides participants to rationally analyze multiple core contradictions such as the balance between finance and strategy, restructuring of business resource allocation systems, and business model innovation and transformation. This practical problem-solving model better showcases the professional competence and practical abilities of contemporary young students.
South China Region
The South China regional final was successfully held at the headquarters building of Honor Device Co., Ltd. Guests including Peng Qiuen, Chief Financial Officer of Honor Device Co., Ltd., and Zhu Xuehong, Manager of Cooperation and Development for East China and South China at IMA Institute of Management Accountants, attended the event. The guest judges included Jian Jinbo (CMA), Global Board Member of IMA Institute of Management Accountants and Chair of the CMA Shenzhen Elite Club; Huang Pei, Head of Operations Management at Honor Device Co., Ltd.; Wang Jierong (CMA), Managing Director of Baillieu & Chandon Capital Ltd; Zuo Junxing (CMA), Overseas Finance Head of Delma Technology Co., Ltd.; and Xue Haowei (CMA), General Manager of Shenzhen Orange Kang Culture and Sports Development Co., Ltd. Xie Shuyi (CMA), China Partner at Page Executive (the executive search brand of the Michael Page Group), served as the host for the event.
Peng Qiuen, Chief Financial Officer of Honor Device Co., Ltd., emphasized in his address that youth are the future of the industry. The IMA Campus Case Competition provides an excellent platform for young students to connect theory with practice. He hopes students will cherish this opportunity to participate and hone their professional skills. Honor also looks forward to discovering more outstanding management accounting talent through such competitions, contributing to industry talent cultivation and development.
Zhu Xuehong, Manager of Cooperation and Development for East China and South China at IMA, expressed gratitude to the participating universities, advisors, judges, and staff for their contributions. She highly praised the solid professional competence, teamwork skills, and innovative business thinking demonstrated by students in the South China region. She noted that under the trends of digitalization and business-finance integration, IMA will continue to deepen cooperation between universities and enterprises in South China, building excellent platforms that promote learning through competition and empower practice, cultivating more interdisciplinary high-end management accounting talent, and accumulating new strength for the high-quality development of the industry.