XZ McKenzie

Xavier Yohan Zach McKenzie (commonly known as XZ), is a 20 years old Filipino-Australian businessman who is currently residing in the Philippines. Born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on the 25th of December 1991. He studied in La Salle Greenhills for 7 years before migrating to Canada at his age of 9. A natural genius, he graduated his preschool at La Salle Greenhills as a valedictorian, graduated his elementary at Academy for Gifted Children in Ontario, Canada as a valedictorian, graduated his highschool at Richmond Hill Highschool at Ontario, Canada also as a valedictorian and just last March 2012, he graduated Bachelor of Science in Legal Management in Ateneo de Manila University as a Summa Cum Laude. This young man is said to be a scholar since highschool till college.

Being an only child, XZ is now handling all of the business his mother left him. He is currently the President and CEO of their company who have branches all around the globe. Though single in status and in law, XZ already have a one year old daugher, Andrea Felicity who serves as his inspiration to go through life. And though grew up from a broken family, it did not stopped XZ in achieving his aspirations and grew up being a good person. He holds a number of volunteer organizations that aims to help the marginalized sector such as Habitat for Humanity, Gawad Kalinga, etc.

Though a well-known young businessman and a hearttrob among those who belongs in the upper class, XZ managed to maintain his privacy saying that, "I just want business, not fame." And according to him, "I love business not because it gives me money but because I want to give jobs to people especially in the Philippines."

XZ also served as an inspiration to the cancer patients as he himself is a cancer survivor. "Admittedly, it will be really devastating at first. There are moments that you will question God but at the end of the day, it's really a matter of trusting in Him, believing in Him and having faith in Him. God have his own purpose in giving us this kind of challenge. Just look how I became a better person after going through my cancer. Don't look at this as your stumbling block but rather a stepping stone in achieving your dreams. This applies in all aspects of life," XZ on one of his talks.

(Interview by Assunta De Los Santos-McKinley)