Kenneth Siow (Ken) is currently the General Manager (Singapore/Malaysia) and Regional Director, Southeast Asia at Tencent Cloud International, the Enterprise/ToB Cloud computing division of Tencent.

Ken’s career spans 25 plus years of experience in Sales, Business Development, Sales Management , Partner Development, Professional Services, Consulting Services and Strategic GTM development.

At Tencent Cloud, Ken leads a team of Sales, Pre-Sales, Channel Alliances, Marketing and Post-Sales team to drive continuous business growth and strategic execution of key business objectives.

Prior to Tencent, Ken worked in various leadership and functional roles in top tech companies including Google Cloud, Cisco Systems, Intel, as well as Royal Dutch Shell at the forefront of the Internet, Data Analytics, Cloud and AI revolution.

As a native Southeast Asian, Ken’s professional and academic life offered him the opportunities to live/work/study in China, United Kingdom, Mongolia, Australia and USA.

Ken currently serves as Chairman of the Programme Advisory Committee at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), as well as being an Advisor to the Industry Consultative Committee at the NUS (National University of Singapore) Business School.

Ken holds double MBA degrees from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) , Bachelor of Science (BSc.) degree in Information Systems and Telecommunications Management from Murdoch University at Western Australia, and an Executive Education Certificate in Digital Business Strategy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT Sloan School of Business.

A Case Study on How Engineering Can Be the Foundation for Business Brilliance

Imagine transitioning from a purely engineering background to leading business strategies at a tech giant. This was the path Ken embarked on when he joined the UCLA-NUS EMBA program in 2014. At the time, Ken worked for Cisco Systems, leading their services team’s partnership program and strategy. His career was progressing, but he sought deeper knowledge of the business world, particularly in negotiations, profit and loss statements, and cash flow balance sheets.

Ken reflects on his decision to pursue an EMBA over other post-grad programs or short courses: “I felt it was very important for me to continue to improve on my understanding of the business world, especially the intricacies of how we engage other companies or how we engage our internal operations.” This need for a comprehensive understanding of business led him to choose the EMBA program, which he believed would be the most relevant for his career development.

The UCLA-NUS EMBA program was eye-opening for engineer Ken. “The UCLA-NUS program is very holistic, providing a broad-based perspective on how strategic decisions are made,” Ken shares. Leadership, negotiation, and accounting courses were particularly impactful, equipping him with essential skills for his career. These skills became crucial as he climbed the management ladder. “Those skill sets weren’t existent before I went through the MBA course, but now that I’ve gone through it, I have a deep appreciation of how to read financial statements,” he notes. Financial literacy is vital for any business leader, enabling them to understand the health of their business and make informed decisions.

Leadership was another area where Ken saw significant growth. The program introduced him to various management styles and to adapt as a leader. “Different leadership styles apply to different situations. There isn’t an absolute right or wrong leadership style; you need to adjust your leadership style according to the situation,” Ken explains. The global perspectives gained from the UCLA-NUS EMBA program also influenced Ken’s approach to business and decision-making. Interacting with classmates from diverse industries and cultures gave him a more comprehensive view of global business strategies.

Ken’s best takeaways from the program include financial literacy, the value of adapting leadership styles, and the enduring benefits of a global network of peers. Reflecting on his journey, Ken advises prospective students who feel stagnant in their careers to consider an EMBA if they seek to deepen their business knowledge and expand their professional network.

For prospective UCLA-NUS EMBA candidates, how does one balance work, family, and studies? It was challenging, but Ken emphasized the importance of perseverance and commitment. “You get as much as you put into the program. It was a case of how much I want to get out of the program, which will be determined by how much I want to put into it,” he states.

Ken stays actively involved with the UCLA-NUS community, attending social gatherings and leading the UCLA Anderson Singapore chapter. He highlights the importance of maintaining these connections for professional and personal growth.

Ken reflects on its evolution and continued relevance as the UCLA-NUS EMBA program celebrates its 20th anniversary. He believes the program’s diverse cohort and emphasis on real-world applications will keep it impactful for future leaders. “My wish is that the UCLA-NUS program will continue to adapt itself to stay relevant in this fast-moving geopolitical scene,” Ken concludes.

Congratulations to the UCLA-NUS EMBA program on 20 remarkable years! Here’s to many more years of developing successful leaders like Ken.