The UTM DBA programme is designed for senior executives, helping them transform years of hands-on experience into systematic management thinking. The programme emphasises cross‑sectoral exchange and academic rigour, cultivating decision‑makers with an international perspective.
Kearney Liang Jiacong, Project Director of Huawei Services (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. – Macau Branch, is one of these students. Through the programme, Kearney aims to evolve from a “project manager” into a “strategic thinker” who leads the digital ecosystem of the industry, internalising research outcomes into corporate management strategies. He also wishes to act as a bridge between UTM and the business world, sharing practical cases of integrating ICT with business management.
Why UTM’s DBA
Kearney holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in finance and credit. He has long been responsible for ICT infrastructure, government‑enterprise digital transformation and smart city projects. He chose UTM because the university’s academic strengths in service management and innovation closely align with Macao’s industrial direction of “technology + tourism”. “Macao is at a critical stage of moderate economic diversification. The deep integration of technology with the tourism and leisure industry is an inevitable trend. As a technology provider, Huawei must not only master technology but also deeply understand the business logic of our clients’ industries.”
The driving force behind his return to academia lies in what he terms “breaking the mould” and “reshaping”—stepping back from fast-paced tactical execution, evaluating the industry through a macro-strategic lens, and distilling years of empirical experience into replicable and verifiable management methodologies.
Applying the Programme to Real‑World Management
Kearney says that in the past he relied more on industry intuition and past successful experiences. After joining the DBA, he has moved toward using scientific paradigms (such as quantitative research and data modelling) to test hypotheses. He has also embraced a broader organisational ecosystem perspective, shifting his focus from isolated project deliveries to long-term strategic alignment and industry-wide impact.
He particularly highlights the courses Global Strategy and Leadership and Contemporary Business Issues. He applied the concept of “strategic agility” from the curriculum to address Macao’s unique market challenges, adjusting the flexibility of team resource allocation. The high‑frequency intellectual debates guided by faculty allowed him to bridge Huawei’s “global vision” with Macao’s “local micro‑industry characteristics”, solving cross‑cultural and cross‑regional management difficulties.
In addition, Data Mining and Analytics has been a practical tool for him. The analytical models learned in class have been directly applied to optimise project delivery processes and customer demand forecasting, improving team management efficiency and resource allocation accuracy.
Advice for Fellow Executives and the Value of Industrial Upgrading
For business leaders considering a DBA, he advises: “Keep an open mind and treat your workplace as your laboratory.” He also stresses the importance of time management. “What the DBA provides is not answers, but the ability to ask questions. In a complex business world, the ability to see the essence behind phenomena is the highest level of competitiveness.”
He believes that the industrial upgrading of Macao and the Greater Bay Area requires not just technical workers but senior managers with “global vision, local insight and academic rigour”. The DBA programme is precisely a think‑tank that cultivates such talent and drives the regional economy towards a “knowledge‑driven” model.
He particularly cherishes the opportunity to exchange ideas with classmates from different industries. “The collision of heterogeneous thinking often solves long‑standing problems.” He hopes that UTM’s DBA programme will continue to expand its influence in the Greater Bay Area and internationally, deepen cross‑border cooperation with leading technology companies, and become a borderless innovation think‑tank, delivering high‑quality wisdom and solutions for the business development of Macao and the world.