Case Study: pladis

How pladis used a WBS partnership to sharpen thinking and identify future talent

The thing with keeping commercial strategy fresh is that teams often need space and external challenge to see their business differently. pladis wanted new perspectives that could test their assumptions, spark fresh insight and help them spot emerging talent with the potential to make an impact fast.

That is where WBS came in.

How we worked together

We connected pladis with MSc Marketing and Strategy students who used their dissertations to address live commercial questions. Each student had access to data, teams and mentoring so they could apply academic rigour to real business challenges.

The process was simple from the start. We shaped each brief around their commercial team and the challenges they were facing. Scoping, timelines, interviews and communication were all designed to fit how pladis works in practice. It gave the business the benefit of focused research without the time commitment a typical project demands.

Florence Brain, Sales Director at pladis UK&I, said the partnership has consistently stretched their thinking and brought new viewpoints into the organisation. She also highlighted its value as a way to identify talent and confirmed that two students moved into permanent roles this year.

Why partnerships like this matter

For pladis, the project delivered more than a dissertation. It gave them sharper insight, grounded recommendations they could act on immediately and a low risk route to assessing high potential graduates in a real working context.

For students like Shreya Guntakal and Mikael Kristo, the experience opened the door to real opportunities.

For Shreya, now a Sales Executive at pladis, the project “bridged the gap between academic learning and professional practice” and helped her step confidently into her role.

Mikael, also now part of the pladis team, described it as:

"The highlight of my Masters” and “the best decision I made during my time at Warwick”.

Partnerships like this show what WBS does best. We turn ambition into practical action. We connect employers with people who think boldly and work well with real responsibility. And we create experiences that benefit both sides.

If you are interested in exploring what a similar project could look like, our CareersPlus & Employer Relations Team can share more.

Contact us at EmployerRelations@wbs.ac.uk