Education plays a huge role not just in the technical skill set of a person but also for a personality development, maturity, and understanding of professional ethics.

I believe that education must be happening throughout early phase of human life. In this case, pre natal, pre- school, primary years to pre-college and then university level. It takes at least 18 years of strong and solid character building for an individual before landing at higher education level. Those years will be a significant building block for continuing to absorb knowledge and science in complexity of academic journey. My academic and professional journey has been so eclectic yet the most rewarded scenic route ever, from ASEAN and Europe (specifically the UK).

Currently, I have been working as an academic team leader and business development manager for the International Baccalaureate (IB) School at Gifted Minds International School.  I also serve as the managing partner for the UK and the Netherlands at Unimatrix International. Presently, I have been promoting the importance of vocational education and the apprentice: the challenge and the opportunity as an alternative choice for a student at university level. This new trend will also help the student to fill up the demand of skilled and pragmatic employee in workforce.

I was awarded PhD in International Business Strategy and Economic Geography from Newcastle University Business School, UK. My MSc postgraduate was Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship also from the same university. Specifically, my disciplinary background lies in International Business Strategy, Economic Geography, and Regional Studies. I explore why some regions have a better economic performance than others and argue that this is because they encourage knowledge creation in the global-local networks more than other regions.

Furthermore, I have researched and taught international business management, entrepreneurship, investigating overlaps with the fields of strategy, organisation, and learning. I also continue to develop my research interests on innovation and regional development in knowledge-based economy, specifically in the context of agglomeration, industries, and networks. My extended research interests are: international business strategy, multinational enterprises (MNEs), small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), innovation and technology management, globalisation and development studies, cluster- based policy and networks, industrial dynamics and knowledge transfer.

I have presented papers in Europe-ASEAN and other international venues as a guest speaker, invited scholar and scientific conference speaker. I have published books, journals, e‐journals and conference proceedings at international level. I am very active in promoting the importance of critical thinking in business research, research design in business/finance, academic writing workshop, peer review and the importance of supervision among junior researchers and PhD students internationally in my role as chair of a scientific committee and a member of scientific panels for several international conferences/workshops. I used to initiate a research network called SDIN (Social Dynamics of Innovation Networks) promoting the norms, values and human element in studying innovation in high-tech sectors in developed and developing economies, specifically in Europe and the ASEAN (Southeast Asian) region.

In addition, the following information for my teaching and research activities:

Research Interest:

  • Effective international strategic business planning for organization
  • International strategy and business formulation (for MNEs and SMEs)
  • International strategy and business implementation (for MNEs and SMEs)
  • International strategy and business evaluation (for MNEs and SMEs)

Overlapping research theme including:

  • Hi-Tech Sectoral innovation: automotive, biopharma, semi-conductor, creative   industry
  • Globalisation and Emerging Economies (macro, meso, and  micro Economy)
  • Social Dynamic of Innovation Networks (SDIN)
  • Geopolitical economy in ASEAN, Europe, and Asia-Pacific
  • Knowledge Transfer and Technology Management
  • Corporate Social Responsibility and green economy as an ethical and strategic challenges/process in managing sustainability
  • Asian studies (Asian Modernity and Tradition and Developing Asian Regions)