Kenny Ooi

Quantic School of Business and Technology

“Kenny is an active musician and arts administrator named top 20 social entrepreneurs in Australia/Asia.”

City, State, Country: Penang, Malaysia

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am a salmon lover, I would even have salmon for every meal of the week.

Undergraduate School and Major: Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music,

National University of Singapore, Bachelor of Music (Honours)

Current Employer and Job Title: Founder & Director at The Rondo Production

Why did you choose an online format like Quantic? The most important reason would be the flexibility the program offers. As an entrepreneur, I am eager to learn and improve. Pursuing a Master’s degree online gives me the opportunity to work and study around my schedule. Accessibility is another reason – it enables me to learn from anywhere in the world, especially during these difficult times.

I do not need to commute from one country to another, because the classroom can be anywhere. Moreover, I think, studying online requires more self-motivation and time-management skills. After all these, it’s very cost-effective. I can gain top tier education and do not have to pay for accommodations, travel and other additional living expenses.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Quantic’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school, and why was it so important to you? I think, apart from the affordable tuition fees, the condensed 13-month MBA program offered by Quantic is definitely one aspect which caught my attention. I was looking for online MBA courses and I found out that most of the courses

would take much longer than a year. The duration offered by Quantic’s MBA looks perfect for a person like me, who would like to direct my focus in the program for just about a year. I signed up for the introductory courses (Business Foundations) after doing some research. These courses verified that the mobile-first curriculum method by Quantic is interactive and efficient. It allows me to study on my own pace and I’m able to access the courses even on my mobile phone. This is very important for a music-preneur like me, where flexibility and mobility are key factors allowing me to perform all over the world while studying.

Quantic is highly competitive and only about 10% of students who apply to the MBA program are admitted. What advice would you give to someone who intends to apply to Quantic to increase their odds of being accepted? Be yourself. I would strongly encourage the potential students to clearly define their goals towards this program (e.g. Why do you want to pursue this program but not others? How can this program help you achieve your career or professional goals?) Having these in mind before applying would be very helpful throughout the journey of learning. Of course, the introductory courses require much self-discipline and time-management too. When it comes to the interview, the best way to prepare is to make sure that your answers reflect your true identity and thoughts on learning and progressing in your life and career.

What achievement are you most proud of as an MBA student? It was being able to study while growing professionally.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I would say there are two achievements which I am most proud of, as both a musician and an entrepreneur. As a musician, I am very proud to be selected as one of the only 2 representatives from Malaysia to take part in the 2019 Asian Youth Orchestra Summer Camp and Asia Tour. I am glad that I am able to be part of this big family where we spent almost two months together rehearsing and traveling across 11 cities in Asia. I hope that we could have the chance to travel and perform together again, soon, after this pandemic.

As an entrepreneur, I am proud to be selected as one of the top 20 social entrepreneurs in ASEAN and Australia by the Australian Government in November 2020. After years of performing and traveling to other countries in the world, I realized how insufficient the support of music education is

in Malaysia. I decided that I wanted to contribute my knowledge to the community. Hence, through establishing my social enterprise – The Rondo Production – my team and I hope to make music accessible and affordable to everyone. Receiving these prestigious awards has motivated me and my team to grow.

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal and how has your MBA studies helped you make progress in this area? My long-term goal would be to establish myself as a social change maker or

leader in the industry. I love to see people succeed and be happy with what they are or will be doing. I hope that through this MBA program, I will be able to connect even more dots across business and arts, especially in finding a sustainable solution for the arts. Besides, I also hope to expand my network of connections with my classmates. Certainly very looking forward to the year ahead!

DON’T MISS: THE DISRUPTERS: MEET THE QUANTIC CLASS OF 2022