We are delighted to announce the winners and runners-up of the 2025 Digital Strategy & Transformation Awards, led by UCL School of Management Associate Professor Dr Rikke Duus. This year, almost 200 students took part and formed 34 digital consultancy teams. Over the first five weeks of the term, these teams crafted innovative digital solutions for various business clients, utilising a range of digital and AI tools for their research, ideation, evaluation, and presentations.
The awards are part of the second-year MSIN0051 Digital Strategy & Transformation module delivered to students from the BSc Information Management for Business (IMB) programme and as an elective module to students across UCL faculties.
In today’s digitally-connected world, it is essential for students to gain hands-on experience with digital and AI tools as part of their education and teamwork. This project is designed to provide students with vital digital skills and knowledge about digital business, innovation, and consumer practices to help prepare them for their future careers.
The project is structured by three distinct phases:
Phase 1: Research and Insights Gathering
Phase 2: Ideation and Idea Evaluation
Phase 3: Digital Solution Presentation
Teams created interactive websites that showcased their research, analytical tools, multimedia content, app prototypes, data visualisations, and video-based pitch presentations. This approach brings their work to life and makes it shareable with current and future employers and other relevant individuals.
Throughout the term, teams applied business-related analytical frameworks to evaluate the innovation drive of their chosen organisation, the competitive landscape, consumer trends, and new opportunities to digitally enhance the organisation’s ability to compete and create value for customers and stakeholders. In addition to formal lectures, teams received support during workshop seminars from Dr Rikke Duus and Teaching Assistants Brian Andrews and Emma Tournan.
This year, teams developed digital transformation solutions for a diverse array of organisations, including Rightmove, Avanti, M&S, Reach Plc, NHS, London Zoo, British Library, TFL, UK Department of Education, Horniman Museum, and many more.
The Digital Strategy & Transformation Award is presented in the Best Digital Transformation Solution category.
The projects chosen as Winners and Runners-up exemplify a strong capability to leverage data and insights effectively, align with the organisation’s strategic goals, and pinpoint viable opportunities for new digital transformation solutions. These teams also demonstrated their proficiency in utilising various digital and AI tools throughout their research, ideation, evaluation, and presentation processes.
Many congratulations to all the Winning and Runners-Up Teams!
best digital transformation solution (elective students)
Winning Team: Best Digital Transformation Solution
Eleanor Marie Garnier, Moe Chan Myae, Yi Chen Winnie Xiong, Nurul Adlina Binti Shamsul Kamal & Diane Sandra Francoise Le Rouic
Organisation: Nintendo
Runner-Up: Best Digital Transformation Solution
Haein Ryoo, Irisha Adhikari, Zakaria Rana, Gabriel James Perri, Kai En Gavriel Tan & Chengyue Huang
Organisation: HM Prison Service
Runner-Up: Best Digital Transformation Solution
Keira Alice Diavati, Yuxin Xu, Sarah Car, Giulia Giorgia Violetti & Layla Mariam M’balia Samba
Organisation: Avanti
Runner-Up: Best Digital Transformation Solution
Maria Hussain, Celine Mei Chern Sim, Pak Wing Chan, Faiza Noshin Ahmed & Shuoting Pan
Organisation: Rightmove
best digital transformation solution (IMB students)
Winning Team: Best Digital Transformation Solution
Frank Jin Wei, Aarnav Agarwal, Asad Jamil & Jonathan Wye Han
Organisation: WHSmith
Runner-Up: Best Digital Transformation Solution
Benjamin Samuel John Ashley, Kerem Akkiris, Eqbal Ahmad Osmani, Pulkit Piyush Chaudhari, Umair Mobarik & Glib Ierofieiev
Organisation: UK Department of Education
Runner-Up: Best Digital Transformation Solution
Alisha Aqdas, Reya Khanna, Roby Abdelmalik A Aboukhashaba, Sephura Naim & Raiha Haris
Organisation: B&Q
Key Digital and AI Skills Learned
As part of this project, students have acquired a range of essential digital and AI skills, including:
- Data Analysis and Visualisation: Students learned how to gather, analyse and visualise data to generate actionable insights.
- AI Tool Utilisation: Teams gained experience in using various AI tools for insights gathering, ideation, and video creation.
- Digital Prototyping: Students developed prototypes for digital solutions, including apps and interactive websites.
- Multimedia Content Creation: Teams created engaging multimedia content, including videos and interactive presentations, to effectively communicate their ideas.
- Strategic Thinking: Students applied strategic frameworks to assess business opportunities, competitive landscapes and consumer trends.
- Collaboration and Teamwork: Working in consultancy teams, students honed their collaboration and teamwork skills, essential for their future careers.
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, digital and AI skills are critical for organizations to stay competitive and innovate. For students, mastering these skills not only prepares them for the demands of modern workplaces but also makes them highly attractive to potential employers. Companies are increasingly seeking candidates who can navigate digital tools, think strategically, and collaborate effectively.
By participating in this project, students gain practical experience and demonstrate their capability to contribute to digital transformation initiatives, giving them a competitive edge in the job market.
