Since young, Julian Tan’s life has been defined by ambition, resilience and an unwavering commitment to learning. “I was a diligent student who always put my hand up in class to ask questions,” he recalled of his early education years.
Years later, he would go on to graduate from Oxford and Cambridge, an achievement spurred on by his own grit as well as his father’s stories of overcoming poverty. While earning a PhD from Cambridge, he kickstarted his multifaceted career by conducting groundbreaking research for Boeing and Mitsubishi, before transitioning into management consulting at Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
Since then, his professional journey has been marked by one groundbreaking turn after another, including leading the digital transformation of Formula 1 (F1) and spearheading commercial strategy for Flutter, the world’s largest sports betting company. Julian’s latest venture is an inspiring autobiography that has topped Amazon’s bestseller list, and one that Julian hopes to bring to his motherland.
Read on to find out how Julian turned his dreams into reality, what makes his autobiography more than just a retelling of his life, and how he plans to leverage his expertise to give back to the Malaysian community.
The Path to Oxford and Cambridge
Julian’s journey to Oxford was not an easy one, but he did it with a blend of ambition and humility. “I’ve always had this approach where I give my all and have high goals, but I don’t expect anything,” he shared. It clearly worked for him, as he secured a spot at Oxford on a partial scholarship.
“I see my life as being divided into two chapters: pre-Oxford and post-Oxford,” Julian says. His time at the prestigious university opened doors to new opportunities and his mind to new perspectives, permanently changing the course of his professional trajectory.
Following his undergraduate studies, Julian embarked on a PhD journey at Cambridge. His research, which focused on the fracture behaviour of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner’s carbon fibre wings, pushed the boundaries of knowledge in aerospace engineering.
“There were no reference materials. You are discovering things for the first time, trusting in specific scientific steps, and taking a structural and logical approach,” he said.
His work ethic paid off handsomely, earning him a publication in the prestigious scientific journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A by the Royal Society.
Transforming His Career & Telling His Story
Julian Tan’s curiosity and love for learning led him to explore beyond academia. “As much as I loved my academic life, I wanted more variety,” he explains. This desire drove him into management consulting with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where he worked on diverse projects from product development to cost transformations. “BCG gave me exposure to the C-suite and forced me to grow fast,” he shares.
In 2017, his career took a new turn as he joined Formula 1 as Head of Digital Growth . Under his leadership, the sport embraced digital platforms, streaming and gaming, transforming into one of the fastest-growing sports globally. After 4.5 years, Julian moved to Flutter, the world’s largest sports betting company, where he led corporate and commercial strategy, helping the company triple its revenue and become one of the UK’s largest firms.
By 2024, Julian decided it was time to move on. “I wanted to dedicate proper time to aligning my career with an industry that is in turn aligned with my core values,” he reflects. He now works as a strategic and industrial advisor to a global private equity firm, with ongoing projects for other PE companies.
A turning point came in 2023 with the loss of his grandmother and his father’s illness. “When big moments happen, they force you to evaluate how you’re spending your time and energy,” Julian explains. This led him to fulfil a lifelong dream of writing a book. The result was From Nowhere to Somewhere, an inspiring autobiography detailing his journey from Malaysia to Oxford and beyond.
Rather than a textbook on getting into a top university, Julian framed the book as a story of what is possible with determination. The book has already become an Amazon bestseller, with plans to be distributed in Malaysia in 2025.
A Connection to Home
Despite having lived abroad for so long, Julian’s roots remain firmly planted in Malaysia, and he is eager to let everyone know it. “For as long as I can remember, I always make it a point to introduce myself in any conversation as a Malaysian first,” he said.
His connection to home is strengthened by regular visits, where he spends time with his family and friends over festive periods—and, of course, indulges in local delicacies.
He is also connected to the Oxbridge Malaysia Society, a continuation from his connection with the Oxford University Malaysia Club (OUMC) where he served as treasurer from 2008 to 2009 and the Cambridge University Malaysia Society (CUMaS), where he was Graduate Representative from 2012 to 2013.
Whether it is through his book, skills or MyHeart, Julian hopes to inspire the next generation of Malaysians. “We are saturated with good talent,” he said. “I had quite a number of Malaysian students in my laboratory and classes at Cambridge, and they really stood out with their inherent curiosity and hardworking attitude.”
As such, he jumped at the opportunity to give back to Malaysia when MyHeart reached out to him, and will be seeking out opportunities to mentor young Malaysian talent.
“Seeing the country flourish is an important personal goal of mine, and at some point, I hope to come back and contribute using the experiences I have gained internationally.”
A more immediate goal of his is to make his book accessible in Malaysia. Once it is accessible, Julian believes it can offer valuable knowledge and insights to talented local students and is eager to see how it will benefit them.
Looking to share your expertise with fellow Malaysians and kickstart new initiatives to bring the diaspora community closer? Sign up on MyHeart today to get started.
