Corporate Leaders mould future generations at inaugural QIU CEO Series

It was the late poet and civil rights activist Dr Maya Angelou who said ‘When you learn, teach. When you get, give’.

This timeless maxim was exemplified by two of the country’s foremost media industry leaders, who recently took time out of their busy schedules to share their invaluable industry experience with students from Quest International University Perak (QIU).

Leo Burnett Group Malaysia Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tan Kien Eng and Universal Music Malaysia, Singapore & Indochina Managing Director (MD) Kenny Ong were speakers at the inaugural edition of the QIU CEO Series 2019 here recently – a forum to discuss ‘Transformational Changes in the Media Industry & Future Careers’.

Tan and Ong were joined by Global Integrated Training Associates CEO Nicholas Goh on the panel of speakers.

The forum provided a platform for the esteemed panellists to give back to the education sector and mould the future generation with their insight.

Tan said he was excited to help QIU’s students prepare for the constantly evolving media industry.

“As a Perakian, I’m thrilled to play a role as an industry adviser for QIU. I was born in Teluk Intan, and I’m excited to play a role in giving back to the community and the education sector,” he said.

“QIU puts people ahead of profit. It’s a university with a lot of heart and they are doing all the right things. I’m really pleased to be associated with them.”

Drawing on decades of wide-ranging experience, the panellists delved into the  sweeping transformations brought about by technology and new societal practices, as well as the effect of these changes on future career opportunities in the media industry.

The panellists’ invaluable reservoir of knowledge will not only be available for students as a one-off, as both Tan and Ong are also industry advisers for QIU’s Bachelor of Advertising and Bachelor of Corporate Communication programmes respectively.  

Ong described his appointment as industry advisor as an ‘honour’ that gave him the perfect platform to work with QIU’s students. 

“Building and guiding the next generation of our nation has always been a passion of mine and the opportunity to work with QIU’s Corporate Communications students is a wonderful platform to do so,” he said.

“The QIU CEO’s Series is a fantastic concept and the theme of ‘Transformational Changes in the Media Industry’ is definitely the right topic at the right time, as we debate and outline the challenges in the media industry, possible changes and outcomes, and their impact on future career choices,” said Ong.

After the forum, the University’s students and staff also had the chance to directly engage with the industry experts during a casual networking session.

Tan and Ong also took the time to review and provide feedback on QIU’s curricula, integrating the industry-relevant ‘must haves’ with the lessons taught in the classroom.

Goh said this process was a constant exercise to ensure that the University’s syllabi remained constantly relevant.

“I would like to personally thank our guests for taking time out of their busy schedules to give back to the future generation,” he added.

“This forum gave our students the chance to communicate first-hand with industry leaders, arming them with the knowledge and requirements they need to excel in the field.”

Goh said these first-hand interactions and discussions helped the students gain knowledge that would allow them to integrate seamlessly into the job market.

“We don’t want this event to be a one-off. The University is always excited to bring in industry advisers with a diversity of knowledge to give us a window into the developments and challenges of their industries,”said Goh. 

The forum was preceded by the launch of the QIU Buzz Hub recording studio – the University’s latest student facility that represents a landmark achievement for its Faculty of Social Sciences.

The brand-new studio comes fully equipped with facilities  that will expose students to the real-world experience of recording and broadcasting. 

Students will be able to carry out photography and video training, while the recording studios allow them to record musical instruments, vocals, as well as sound sources for TV, movies, games, and other video productions. Besides the usual functions, the studio can also be used for telemedicine conferences and e-Learning.