Why I Hire Only PHDs

As a CEO, I hire only PHDs. My definition of a PHD is a superstar who is poor, hungry, and determined in attitude and spirit. I don’t care about paper qualifications, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, or any other typical societal stuff. These society-made walls divide us. In reality, we are ONE. We all laugh, cry, dream, and love. I embrace diversity, and I celebrate differences. I believe in the power of meritocracy. I believe in the power of dreams. I believe in the power of the human spirit.

The most important things in life – your character, your values, your resilience, your work ethic, and your hunger – are never found on a CV. I want to hear about the time you got bullied. I want to hear about the time you cried because you fought for a dream or a belief. I want to hear about the time you failed and what you learned. I want to hear about how far you travelled in life on nothing, but integrity, grit, courage, and hard work. For me, a rockstar is someone who wants to achieve the extraordinary in life, someone who is ready to climb the biggest mountains to unleash his/her greatness, someone who lives to defy odds, someone who is willing to make the toughest sacrifices for a dream, someone who dares to be an original.

Chatri Sityodtong is a self-made entrepreneur and lifelong martial artist from Thailand. His rags-to-riches life story has inspired millions around the world on BBC News, CNN, Financial Times, Bloomberg TV, CNBC, Channel NewsAsia, and other major media. He is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of ONE, Asia’s largest global sports media platform in history with a broadcast to over 150+ countries around the world. He is also the star of the first-ever global edition of The Apprentice, the award-winning reality TV series on Netflix. Sityodtong was named “Asia’s King of Martial Arts” by the Financial Times and was ranked the “2nd Most Powerful Person in Sports in Asia” by FOX Sports. Sityodtong was also selected as one of “Asia’s Top 100 Business Leaders” by Business Insider. He is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at INSEAD, Europe’s top business school. Inducted recently into the Black Belt Hall of Fame, Sityodtong is a Kru in Muay Thai under Yodtong Senanan and a Purple Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Renzo Gracie. Sityodtong holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Tufts University.