Biography
Hire Bard Campaign
Working hard for something we don't care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion.” – Simon Sinek.
The pursuit of happiness is what Bard seeks in life, setting the difference between having a job and having a career. Bard knows which path will lead to this, but he is aware that it will be challenging.
He has to stand out from everyone else and show how passionate he is. Therefore, he initiated the 'Hire Bard' campaign, which has now evolved into something much larger than initially intended. He traveled the world, embarked on adventures, met incredible people, and here is his journey in pursuit of his dream.
Asaad Badree Bakar (born 28th July 1984) is better known as Bard Baker. He acquired this name while studying in Melbourne, Australia as a child at Camberwell Baptist Day. The name was given to him by Miss Barclay. Bard originated from Badree. Initially, his name was spelled 'Bad,' which is the opposite of good in English. Miss Barclay took the 'r' and placed it between 'a' and 'd,' resulting in 'Bard.' Regarding 'Baker,' originally it was 'Bakar,' but due to pronunciation difficulties, it was simplified to 'Baker.' This is how 'Bard Baker' came to be. He is of English, Chinese, and Malay descent.
He was born a miracle child. He was born seven months, on the seventh month, the seventh child, the only child, the only son. He was born seven months which makes him a premature baby. He was born on the seventh month which is July. The seventh child because his mom miscarried six times, and he's the seventh child that survived where his mom had to undergo a Cesarean delivery, which means she can't conceive anymore, making Bard the only child, the only son. 777. While there were a lot of complications like asthma, muscle weakness, and mental challenges while growing up as a premature child, Bard has developed into a strong and smart individual as he grew up. He has ADHD but has an average IQ of 125.
Bard's strongest trait is his creativity and genuine interest in learning everything. He is well-known by his peers as a 'Renaissance Man' or 'Jack of All Trades' because of his diverse knowledge and creative skills, including painting, singing, acting, and poetry. He also possesses a range of job skills, from content management, design, event management, sales, entertainment, and public relations. There is no skill that can't be learned. Growing up as an only child, life could be lonely at times, so he picked up various hobbies such as writing, poetry, martial arts, acting and singing.
About
Academic
Bard graduated from The One Academy of Communication Design, an internationally renowned, top-tier art and design institution that nurtures talents at the pinnacle of creativity in Malaysia. He majored in Illustrations and became the first Bruneian to graduate from that institute.
He then continued his training at Imaginism Studios, a Toronto-based studio specializing in pre-production character and concept design for film, TV, gaming, and publishing. He received training in The Art of Caricature mentored by Jason Seiler, an award-winning illustrator whose work has been featured on covers and as interior pieces for TIME, Rolling Stone, Business Insider, and more. Bard then participated in art competitions on Wittygraphy, the largest network of caricaturists and caricature fans community, where he won second place twice with his Madonna and Oprah caricatures. The Oprah caricature was later featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show as one of the “Top 10 Oprah Winfrey Artworks.” This recognition led to a contract job offer for Bard to work in the United States.
Beyond illustration, Bard is also skilled in public hosting, which motivated him to study Rock the Stage: Master of Ceremonies by Nicky Mott to sharpen his emcee abilities. He earned a Diploma in Project Management from the International Business Management Institute (Berlin) and a Hotel Management Certification from New Skills Academy (United Kingdom). Dedicated to personal growth, he also completed the Cheryl Porter Vocal Method Course in 2020, a Professional 10-Hour Acting Masterclass in 2022, and the Charisma University program from 2023 to 2024.
Understanding the importance of keeping up with global knowledge trends, Bard has expanded his expertise through online learning. He completed Fundamentals of Digital Marketing from Google, Elements of AI: Introduction to AI from the University of Helsinki, Innovation and Digital Transformation in the Tourism Industry from the UN Tourism Academy, and the AI Product Manager Specialization from IBM. Additionally, in 2025, he graduated from Galileo Maritime Academy, successfully completing the STCW (Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping) 2010 Amendments course.
Professional Experience
After graduation, Bard worked as a graphic designer for 'Adinin Maha Seramik Utama Enterprise,' where he created compelling, highly memorable creative assets for product design, digital marketing, advertising, and print campaigns, while also developing photography skills. He then received a job offer to work for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line under Face Fun LLC, where he created creative designs and implemented high-quality illustrations and caricatures both on and off-board, collaborating with a global team to assist with marketing, entertainment, and advertising. Bard became the first and only Bruneian in the entire fleet.
He then returned to Borneo and founded a Search Engine Optimization company that specialized in maximizing the factors contributing to high positioning within search engines. By combining respect for a client’s business with ethical practices, the company helped clients achieve stronger online visibility and higher rankings. Later, the company was transferred to new ownership in Malaysia. Bard subsequently worked for CANDAS Creative Company as a creative designer, collaborating with a multi-disciplinary team to establish the conceptual and stylistic execution of projects and campaigns across a wide range of digital media, consistently delivering the highest quality of design. However, he left the company due to restructuring.
While seeking the next opportunity, Bard joined ADN MMA Fitness Gym as a sales representative and assistant martial arts trainer. In this role, he identified growth opportunities, explored new market segments, developed sales strategies, executed outbound campaigns, and managed inbound leads. He was later offered a position at Times Square Shopping Centre as a marketing assistant and, within just a month, was promoted to event coordinator due to his extensive skills and knowledge. In this capacity, he supported the Corporate Events team with marketing administration, coordinated and executed both client-facing and internal events, and successfully managed entry-level events.
Working at Times Square Shopping Centre was one of the best job experiences he had. Unfortunately, due to a family emergency—his father suffering two cardiac arrests and being admitted to the hospital—Bard had to step down, and a return agreement could not be arranged. He later rejoined the workforce as Chief Designer at Snapfeed, a platform offering digital loyalty programs and local Brunei information on the go. Bard was then offered a role as event coordinator at Bright Chips Board Company, where he handled all aspects of event planning, ensuring operational excellence and superior client satisfaction. Additionally, he was hired by Panaga Country Club on a contract basis to design their new website.
Entrepreneurial by nature, Bard co-founded My Galaxy Store, an online merchandise store based in Las Vegas, Nevada, alongside business partner Scott Buzato. He also opened a small retail shop in Kuala Belait, Brunei, in collaboration with CN Cube Store. Beyond business ventures, he continues to freelance as a digital illustrator through his own Bardsville Studios and works as an event host and singer under Bard's Entertainment. Furthermore, he founded and served as Chief Visionary Officer of Eventfull BN, an online event booking platform offering a one-stop solution for customers to reserve venues such as hotels, stages, and halls for weddings, birthdays, business meetings, and more across Brunei.
Currently, Bard is the Digital Manager for Celebrity Cruises onboard Celebrity Summit and Celebrity Silhouette. He is responsible for managing all digital experience products onboard, executing operational processes, and collaborating across teams to support product integration. Acting as the primary shipboard point of contact, he liaises between Excalibur and shipboard leadership to ensure digital experiences align with brand standards. His responsibilities include coordinating training for app and crew feature releases, implementing support operations, developing content toolkits and templates, and leading change management initiatives. Bard’s work has been recognized in international publications such as Washington Mail, The Sun Bulletin, and Daily Silicon Valley. To this day, he remains the only Bruneian serving in this role across the entire fleet.
Building upon his diverse career, Bard has now embarked on his most ambitious venture—launching his own platform company in the United Kingdom called Unleashedz Ltd. Unleashedz is a digital fitness and lifestyle platform designed to empower trainers, coaches, and creators to monetize their expertise online. The platform enables professionals to offer subscriptions, livestream classes, one-on-one training, and digital products behind secure paywalls, while also integrating features such as scheduling, chat, and analytics. By combining e-commerce, community engagement, and accessible wellness tools, Unleashedz seeks to revolutionize how fitness and lifestyle professionals connect with global audiences while providing them with sustainable income opportunities.
Activities and Hobbies
Find hobbies that you love: one to make you money, one to keep you healthy, and one to unleash your creativity. An idle mind is the devil's playground, and by engaging in hobbies, we not only stay occupied but also nurture our souls. Bard engages in various hobbies and activities because life should not be squandered by excessive sleep.
His first hobby ever since he was a kid was visual arts, which includes sketching and painting. He became the most creative student in his school and pursued that passion further through college. He joined competitions, which led him to a job at one of the biggest cruise line companies in the world, Royal Caribbean International. While working on the cruise line, he participated in hosting events, activities, games, and competitions. He then brought those hosting skills to Times Square Shopping Centre. Additionally, he performed on stage, showcasing his talents in dancing, miming, mascot entertainment, poetry, and acting. He used to perform breakdance and popping routines for corporate functions and dance battles with his crew in Malaysia. Later on, he got involved in ballroom dancing, such as salsa, tango, and waltz. Bard received vocal training in singing from composer Darious Gaspar, focusing mostly on pop and rock styles. Currently, he is being trained by vocalist Via Alya Felias in classical and opera singing. Bard will be performing on stage with his renditions of 'A Whole New World,' 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You,' 'This is the Moment,' etc., at the 'Grand Music Recital' at Panaga Club. Sometimes, he also performs songs using American Sign Language (ASL). All of his uncles, including his dad, are singers, so I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the talent tree. He is also interested in playing musical instruments, mostly the guitar and drums. Bard is also keen on composing songs, drawing inspiration not only from his love for music but also from poetry. He has always been interested in poems and poetry from a young age, memorizing all of William Shakespeare's Sonnets. While working on the cruise ship, he collaborated with Simba Castano on spoken word poetry. He was highly influenced by Def Jam Poetry and admired poets such as Shihan and Erykah Badu. Bard has his own poetry page on social media called 'Bard the Poet.'
Bard is highly active in physical activities such as soccer, martial arts, and badminton. At school, Bard won the badminton doubles school championship. He also won a silver medal in the Taekwondo Borneo Regional Championship. He goes to the gym daily and practices yoga because he understands the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. Not only is he healthy physically, but also spiritually. He meditates twice a day because he understands the importance of meditation. The goal of meditation is not to eliminate thoughts or emotions but to become more aware of them and learn how to navigate through them without becoming stuck. Bard also enjoys literature and admires authors such as Paulo Coelho, Rhonda Byrne, and Simon Sinek.
Here's what people say about Bard
"Bard is an amazing person to work together, he is very smart, helpful and funny to work with and friendly. He is very talented. I have seen many clients talking about his amazing work. In short I truly would like to work together with him again and wherever he is I am sure he will be doing a good job."
- Thiago Venceslau (Brazil)
"Having the opportunity to meet and personally know this renaissance man is a privilege. Learned not only in the craft of visual arts, he is also a master in the performing art of dance. From an artist to an artist. I truly admire his work and it is a pleasure of mine to have spent idle off-work time with him exchanging ideas. Kudos Mr. Baker!"
- CP Alipio (Philippines)
"Bard Baker is a very sweet, humble and is filled with many talents! His work is absolutely PHENOMENAL!!!!!"
- Aundreia McGraw (United States)
"Bard Baker is a wonderful guy who gets along with anyone who wants to make friends with him. Being on the ship with a lot of different nationalities, I can say that Bard is very open to cultural differences and can adapt to different situations. I remember transferring ships with him, he doesn't seem to have a problem adjusting to a new environment. He is not only one of the sweetest guys I've known but one of the most creative artists I've seen."
- Min Reyes (Philippines)
"I had the pleasure of working with Bard Baker aboard Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Not only does he have an innate artistic eye for design, but he is also very detail oriented, creative, and a diligent worker. Bard has a friendly demeanor and would be a asset to your team."
- Joy Bartko (United States)
"Bard is a very nice and approachable person and always willing to help. His work is amazing, it flows well and has tons of originality to it!"
- Justin Truong (United States)
"Bard is a very hard worker who possess excellent skills and as down some amazing projects. Creative mind and easy going attitude make him very easy to work with and very professional. To be able to deliver and exemplifies brilliance in is work is amazing. I would recommend bard to anyone at anytime of any given day"
- Ceon Beveridge (Jamaica)
"Bard is a good guy. I met him on a cruise ship when I was on vacation. He was working as the ships caricature artist. He was very approachable and has a friendly personality. I myself was a shy person and did not make many friends without having someone know them ahead of time. I asked him to look at my own work as a conversation starter and it went off from there. Our conversation ranged from gaming to some tips on life. I took pictures of him using his camera when he was singing for the live band. With having a good personality and the level of skill he has I am sure that he will make a name for himself in history."
- Jeffrey Chang (United States)