30 August 2019
Ken Ip
Group Head of Marketing, B.S.C. Group Limited
Master of Business Administration (MBA), International
Ken Ip has many talents. He’s an accomplished musician – playing guitar, bass drums, and even beatboxing a little – a skilled Muay Thai boxer, a Wing Chun expert and instructor, a published author and columnist. But this wunderkind’s marketing career is what has truly defied the odds.
With three degrees under his belt, all before the age of 30, including the University of South Australia’s 5-star MBA, Ken has ascended the Hong Kong business ranks at a remarkable pace.
The self-described storyteller became the Group Head of Marketing at the B.S.C. Group Limited, the construction and interior fittings supplier and lifestyle brand, in February of this year after holding highpowered positions in other design and architecture-focused firms as a young 30 something.
When asked about this meteoric rise, Ken remains humble and attributes it to luck, but it’s clear he has a shrewd business mind and knack for the marketing industry, knowing when to strike.
“I’m not advocating that someone goes around blindly taking on risky endeavours. But there is the common saying that goes: fortune often favours the brave. It has kind of been my mantra all these years.
“It is the knowledge of calculated risk that is essential to move up in the corporate ladder.
“Challenges and pressure come as you climb the corporate ladder. It’s just part of life. To me, when the tough gets going, I just go get tough.
“A lot of it would have to do with luck as well I would say,” he adds.
This tenacity and ambition was clear from a young age when Ken experience some less than favourable treatment throughout his time travelling the globe as a school-aged child.
“As an Asian kid growing up overseas I got picked on quite often. So my parents decided I should learn something as self-defence,” he says.
“Even still to this day, I would go play Muay Thai on a weekly basis, and often spar with pro and amateur fighters. I believe all these have keep me grounded and taught me to be respectful, to myself and others.”
Ken quickly found his niche in the understanding of human behaviour and social dynamics, and though he initially studied psychology, this foundation was instrumental in his development as a marketing and business doyen.
“I always felt I had a knack of reading and empathising with people, and hoped I could save the world,” he says.
“But as I got older, I realised that you needed to attain a certain kind of power and influence in order to start making a difference. Hence, I ventured into the world of business, marketing and communications.”
The B.S.C. Group’s goal is to ‘enrich human spaces’ and as a result has been instrumental in the construction in some of Hong Kong’s most impressive commercial, hospitality and residential properties, including the Landmark Mall, The Murray, The Rosewood Hotel Hong Kong, The Ritz-Carlton in Hong Kong and The Four Seasons in Macau, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
They have also recently moved into the styling space with the distinctive concept lifestyle store, COLOURLIVING, in the heart of Hong Kong spread across three levels and 2,000-square-metres “to bring you the latest handpicked collectible or must-have treasure, transforming spaces into distinctive homes”.
As part of Ken’s role as the Group Head of Marketing, he oversees the advertising, brand building, and creative strategy of these different departments which also encompass the RocaConcepts and B&B Italia furniture brands as well.
“I often tell people that I do two things, and two things only. I’m a storyteller. I tell stories, to connect brands with audience, and audience with brands,” he says.
“I sometimes think of it as being a celebrity agent. I help ensure my ‘clients’ are seen or being exposed inthe right place, at the right time. Getting auditions for leading roles and opportunities to shine at the Oscars...so to speak.”
When thinking back to his time studying the MBA with UniSA and he recalls very fond memories and how the experience played a big part in shaping how he now interacts and comprehends the world.
“The MBA at UniSA was probably the best thing that happened to me,” he says.
“It made me into the person I am today. Surprisingly, it taught me more street smart in the business world than one would expect. It also helped me figure out what I want to do in my career, and for the rest of my life.
“I still to this day really value and appreciate the experience, support and friendships.”
Ken’s professional life and teachings in an industry that has shown him how to be more open-minded, less critical and more appreciative, recently culminated when he was lucky enough to be an honourable guest at the Digital Marketing Leaders Summit in Hong Kong.
“I recently had the chance to share the stage with my former boss at a Digital Marketing Summit,” he says.
“He was someone I really looked up to and learnt a lot from, and we are now peers within the industry".
In such a short space of time, Ken Ip has truly come a long way, with not only his eye for design, but knack for marketing and the Hong Kong business industry.
