Originally Published 26 March 2002
For the second year running, full-time MBA students at Warwick Business School have been awarded a prize for innovation from Crown Castle International, a multinational company at the cutting edge of wireless communications technology.

The award is to encourage innovation in business and is open to full-time MBA students. Working in groups, the challenge was to present their strategy for manufacturing and marketing the next generation of data processing and communications devices.

The winning group won through their outstanding innovative ideas and unique presentation - performed in the style of the TV programme - The Price is Right.

Presenting a cheque today for £1,000 and a trophy to the winning group of students were Peter Abery, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director, and John Ward, Director - Network Operations & Engineering, from the nearby Crown Castle offices in Warwick. John Ward is on the Advisory Board of WBS. A runner-up group received a cheque for £500.

Peter Abery of Crown Castle, said, "Crown Castle is a strong supporter of Warwick Business School. Like them, we applaud thought leadership and new ideas, both of which have been well demonstrated by all of the students involved in this project. I feel certain that a number of these ideas could come to fruition in the marketplace."

Howard Thomas, Dean of WBS, said, "Crown Castle has gained an international reputation for business innovation so we attach great value to its sponsorship of this prize and look forward to a long and positive relationship."

The winning group included Sai Wing Chow, Michael Crich, Natalie Hoffherr, Rika Ota, Richard Sammy, Ian Tatterton, and Tassos Vavladellis.

Crown Castle International engineers, deploys, owns and operates technologically advanced, shared wireless infrastructure. It offers near-universal broadcast coverage in the United Kingdom and significant wireless communications coverage to 68 of the top 100 US markets and more than 90 percent population coverage in the UK, and Australia. Pro forma for all closed and previously announced transactions, Crown Castle owns, operates, and manages over 15,000 wireless communication towers internationally. In addition, Crown Castle has development rights to 4,000 fibre exchange sites in the UK.

Contact:

Stephen Arnold, Crown Castle International

Tel: 01926 416870

Mobile: 07803 887 288

Diana Holton, Warwick Business School
Tel: 024 7652 2985