Get to know Oliver Yiu

mySkin.id

February 2021

Hi there, Family Enterprise family!

My name is Oliver Yiu, a 2nd year full-time MBA student. I grew up in Indonesia, finished my high school in Singapore, and my undergraduate studies in Scotland, UK. My family loves the US- my parents met while they were here, and so we would spend 1-2 months each year going back to the US to visit close friends, old hangout spots, and stock up a years' supply of household goods from Costco!

I am the 2nd generation in my parents' business- a network of pre-K-12 schools in Indonesia (http://nasionalmontessori.com, https://piagetacademy.org). My parents started the organization because they had difficulty finding schools they felt comfortable sending my siblings and I to. The school started off being just for family and friends, so every year that my friends and I moved up a grade, the school would add another grade! Over the next 20 years, we expanded into a network of schools for about 5,000 students in various cities in Indonesia, and my parents ended up taking on full-time roles.

My mom's family also has a property development arm (Bonauli Real Estate) started by my grandfather, Leo Sjarif Batanghari. The portfolio includes residential buildings and a hospital. My mom's siblings ultimately decided to pursue their own paths, and so right now the company is operating under professional management. Given this, it is probably not suprising that none of my generation (siblings, cousins) are pressured to go back and help the family business. We have all been encouraged to go and find what we enjoy doing.

Prior to Kellogg, I was working at McKinsey South East Asia, thankfully being exposed to a wide range of topics- from operations and execution to boardroom strategy and M&A; opportunities.

At Kellogg, I have been focusing on entrepreneurship, venture capital, and building teams and organizations. I am a Zell Fellow, which is a program for aspiring entrepreneurs. I co-founded a telehealth startup in Indonesia together with Bryan, another Kellogg student (and my house mate)- though it's early stages, I have a much stronger appreciation for the amount of responsibility that leaders bear!

Kellogg is amazing because everyone wants to help you succeed (and celebrates just as hard as you do when you succeed!). People talk about going to business school to build networks- that's true, but I feel it's even more than that- I've built friendships that I can see lasting a lifetime.

One of my favorite experiences is the annual KFBO (Kellogg Family Business Organization) retreat. I got to know my colleagues on a much deeper level and have so much admiration for each one of them. I also particularly like Professor Pendergast's class on Family Enterprises. It shed some light on the things I need to consider if I were to come back and help the family business one day, or turn it into a family office.

During my free time, I love playing soccer and crossfit- I find sports is a beautiful avenue to get to know other people that you might not have otherwise met.

Post-Kellogg, I will be working on my startup (www.myskin.id) full time, and feel comfortable knowing that Kellogg's help is just one text message away.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please reach out if you want to know more about Indonesia, entrepreneurship, soccer, family business, or if you have any advice to share to an aspiring business leader.

Thank you, and stay safe wherever you are.