Kristiania brought together top sales talents at ESC 2026

More than 60 students from over 20 universities and higher education institutions gathered in Oslo to test their sales skills, build professional networks, and compete in realistic sales scenarios. 

The European Sales Competition was established in 2014 as part of an EU-funded project and has since evolved into an important meeting place for sales students from across Europe. Kristiania has participated in the competition since 2017, when it was hosted by Napier University in Scotland. This year, it was Kristiania’s turn to host the event. 

Real-World Business Challenges 

The competition is designed to simulate complex sales situations in an international environment. The road to the final consisted of several demanding rounds: 

Participants began by submitting a video pitch in which they had to sell themselves as a candidate for a position with the main sponsor, Aurora Live. 

All participants then completed an individual sales meeting with a buyer represented by sponsor TeamViewer. 

Students were subsequently assigned to random teams and challenged to pitch Coca-Cola’s sustainability strategy to the supermarket chain Carrefour. 

The competition continued with another individual sales meeting before the four highest-scoring participants advanced to the final. 

In total, 144 sales meetings were conducted and evaluated by 44 judges in each round. More than half of the judges came from Norwegian industry and business. 

Close Collaboration with Industry 

The European Sales Competition is more than just a student competition. The event gives participants the opportunity to meet employers, receive feedback from experienced sales leaders, and build international professional networks. 

For businesses, the competition serves as a platform for employer branding and an opportunity to contribute to strengthening the status of professional B2B sales in Norway and across Europe. 

The event is a strong example of Kristiania’s ongoing efforts to connect theory and practice through close collaboration with industry. 

Aurora Live concluded the competition by offering jobs at its European offices to three participating students. 

A Team Effort 

Associate Professor Erik Mehl from the Department of Marketing and Economics led the organization of the competition, but the event was the result of a major collaborative effort involving staff, students, and partners. 

– Special thanks go to Kristiania’s student assistants, who took their ambassador roles very seriously. They contributed throughout the competition and organized social activities that created valuable meeting places for participants, judges, and partners, says Mehl. 

He also highlights graduating student Eva Aanensen, who was responsible for social media coverage during the event and interviewed the finalists in Kristiania’s podcast studio. 

The final was streamed live from Kristiania’s Main Studio, with the Department of Digital Learning responsible for the production. 

– A big thank you also goes to all Faculty and department staff who volunteered as judges and buyers, to the AV team for ensuring a professional final production, and to all partners who helped make the event possible, Mehl concludes. 

Congratulations to the Winner 

This year’s winner was Michael Kreindlin from Vlerick Business School. Second place went to Frishta Qadri from Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences. 

The other finalists were Diede Sanders from HAN University of Applied Sciences and Arina Manukyan from the National Polytechnic University of Armenia. 

Kristiania congratulates all finalists on their excellent performances and thanks all participants for their efforts.