Cora Jean Cantwell triumphs in the 2025 National Finals, celebrating skill, service, and HEINEKEN Malaysia’s commitment to elevating the services sector.
PETALING JAYA, 28 November 2025 – At the highly anticipated 2025 Star Academy National Finals today, Heineken Malaysia Berhad (HEINEKEN Malaysia) has crowned Cora Jean Cantwell from Langkah Syabas Beach Resort, Sabah, the first female National Champion in Star Academy history.
The remarkable victory has secured her an exclusive trip to the Home of Heineken®— Amsterdam, where Cora Jean Cantwell will experience the brand’s heritage and innovation
firsthand, brewing the Joy of True Togetherness.
Now in its seventh year, HEINEKEN Malaysia’s Star Academy programme continues its vital mission to elevate the services sector across the nation. It achieves this by consistently training and enhancing the skills of Malaysia’s talented local bartenders, thereby setting new benchmarks and raising the bar of excellence in the hospitality and tourism sectors.
Star Academy 2025 also unveiled “Tap Into The Future,” a groundbreaking immersive Virtual Reality (VR) experience. This innovative module redefines skill mastery, offering a fully multisensory learning environment where bartenders engage sight, touch, and sound. The gamified, scenario-based approach significantly enhances memory retention, deepens product knowledge, and perfects pouring techniques, making complex concepts both accessible and enjoyable, a one-of-a-kind experience by HEINEKEN Malaysia.
Martijn van Keulen, Managing Director of HEINEKEN Malaysia, said, “With over 11,000
bartenders trained to date, Star Academy reflects our commitment to elevating the services industry, strengthening the capabilities of our local F&B sector, and supporting a vibrant hospitality ecosystem. As one of HEINEKEN Malaysia’s flagship programmes, we are incredibly proud to see Star Academy raise the bar for service excellence nationwide.”
The 2025 Star Academy National Finals brought together fierce competition, with finalists
hailing from KL/Selangor, Sarawak, Sabah, Penang, Perak, and Johor respectively.
Jimmy Ding, Sales Director of HEINEKEN Malaysia, said, “We are grateful to our trade partners for their unwavering support and to the dedicated bartenders who continue to challenge themselves and uphold the highest standards. Their passion and dedication are what drives the industry forward. This year, we are especially excited to introduce our pioneering VR training, which enhances the programme with hands-on, immersive learning.”
The competition also featured a distinguished panel of judges, including Cian Hulm,
Commercial Quality Manager and Wayne Wong, Commercial Quality Lead of HEINEKEN
Malaysia, with special guest judge Jason Dennis D’Cruz, 2024 HEINEKEN Global Draught
Champion.
National Champion Cora Jean Cantwell expressed, “I feel amazing winning this competition, and I am so proud to represent Sabah at this year’s Star Academy National Finals! Thank you, HEINEKEN Malaysia for this incredible opportunity. I am excited to go to Amsterdam!”
For more information on HEINEKEN Malaysia and the Group’s initiatives, please visit
www.heinekenmalaysia.com.
