RAMS × Rotman RMA × Royal Bank of Canada
RBC Geopolitical Risk Case Competition
Where financial risk management meets geopolitical strategy. Cross-disciplinary graduate teams analyze a live, RBC-aligned scenario and defend their strategy in front of the bank itself.
- Who
MGA & MPP students
First and second year, plus Rotman MBA, MFRM & MMA candidates
- Format
Teams of 5–6
Cross-disciplinary, formed by organizers across both schools
- Preliminary
Early November
Judged by Munk School and Rotman faculty
- Final
Mid November
Hosted downtown at RBC, judged by RBC leaders
01Why compete
Skills you can defend, contacts you can keep
Last year, 39 Munk and 17 Rotman students competed — and winners went on to summer internships at RBC.
A live case, not a classroom
Work a contemporary, RBC-aligned scenario that cuts across geopolitics, financial strategy, regulation, and stakeholder management — the kind of problem risk teams actually face.
Judged by the industry
Preliminary feedback from Munk and Rotman faculty; finals judged by RBC representatives, including leaders from Group Risk Management.
A recruiting head start
Every participant's resume is forwarded to RBC talent acquisition — first-years for summer internships, second-years for full-time roles — months before January recruiting peaks.
Prizes & recognition
Monetary prizes for winning teams, priority in the recruitment pipeline, and a networking reception with RBC's talent acquisition and recruitment teams.
02How it works
From kickoff to offer, in six steps
- 01September – October
Apply & form teams
Apply as an individual — organizers form diverse, cross-disciplinary teams of 5–6 blending Munk MGA and MPP students with Rotman MBA, MFRM, and MMA candidates.
- 02Late October
Virtual kickoff
The case challenge and supplementary materials are released. Team allocations and the judging panels for both rounds are announced.
- 03Early November
Preliminary round
All teams present their solutions to faculty judges from the Munk School and the Rotman School of Management. The final round is judged by executives at RBC.
- 04November
Feedback window
Finalist teams receive the judges' critiques and recommendations, with several days to sharpen their decks before the final.
- 05Mid November
Final round & reception
Finalists present directly to RBC judges at an RBC facility downtown. Winners are announced, followed by a networking reception with RBC's talent acquisition team.
- 06December
Recruitment
Resumes from all participants are forwarded to RBC talent acquisition — first-years for summer internships, second-years for full-time roles.
Exact dates are confirmed with participants at kickoff.
03Judging
Judging will be done across both rounds, with the final round judged by executives from RBC.
Case file · 2025
Last year's challenge
A Canadian telecommunications firm weighs market entry into a South or Southeast Asian country with high digital demand and low connectivity. Teams navigated cybersecurity threats, regulatory opacity, geopolitical entanglements with China and Russia, infrastructure limitations, and currency repatriation — then designed an ESG-aligned entry strategy with operational safeguards and financial de-risking mechanisms.
“Design a market entry strategy that aligns with ESG goals, secures local stakeholder buy-in, and de-risks the investment.”
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Competitors in 2025
RBC
Internships for winners
Applications open September 2026
Get the case brief first.
Join the mailing list to hear when applications open, and we'll see you at the virtual info session this fall.