1 February, 2026
When Rob Philipp enrolled in the QUT Executive MBA (EMBA) in 2019, he thought he was signing up for a qualification that would strengthen his corporate career. Instead, it became “the catalyst for everything that has happened since”.
Today, Rob is the founder and CEO of Residenz, a home care business that has grown from four employees to more than 70 staff, 35 partners and around 650 clients across Queensland and New South Wales in under two years.
“None of this would have happened without the EMBA,” he said. “It completely reshaped how I saw myself and what I was capable of.”
Before joining the program, Rob spent five years at Westpac and more than a decade with Allianz Partners in general manager roles. Despite a strong career, he often found himself outmatched on paper.
“I interviewed for a senior role and ran second,” he says. “The feedback was blunt. They told me I was a high-risk candidate because I didn’t have any formal qualification. That pushed me to look seriously at the EMBA.”
He initially explored different universities but found the QUT EMBA’s flexible structure was the best fit. The program’s in-person format, delivered in three-day intensive blocks every four weeks, aligned perfectly with his learning style and workload.
“I’m not someone who thrives in online learning,” he says. “The immersion and the energy in the EMBA classroom made all the difference.”
Once in the program, Rob quickly realised the course was challenging long-held assumptions about his strengths.
“I had always defined myself as an operations guy,” he says. “The EMBA peeled that back. I discovered I was stronger in strategy, sales and entrepreneurship. I came out with a totally different view of where I could add value.”
That new perspective arrived at a critical moment. During COVID, Allianz Partners was heavily affected when its two largest business lines, travel insurance and overseas student health cover, fell away almost overnight. Rob found himself applying what he was learning in real time.
“I had a fairly loud voice during that period,” he says. “I moved into a new intrapreneurial GM role and started opening up new business lines that didn’t rely on mobility or cross-border activity.”
One of those new ventures was a home care service that Rob built from scratch. It gained early traction and strong partner support. But when international travel rebounded faster than expected, Allianz Partners needed to channel resources back into its core offerings. The home care division was suddenly at risk.
“I’d spent years building this business. It had great potential, although was a difficult sector to navigate and timing simply wasn’t on our side.
One morning, lying in bed and thinking through the dilemma, Rob made a bold decision.
“I thought, ‘I know this business end-to-end. It’s already in market. Why should it disappear?’ So, I decided I’d ask if I could establish my own entity and continue with it.”
Allianz Partners were receptive to the idea as it ensured continuity of care for their existing clients. On 1 March 2024, the home care business officially transitioned to Rob’s new venture, Residenz.
Since launching, Residenz has expanded rapidly across Queensland and New South Wales. The company now provides domestic assistance, personal care, gardening, home maintenance and rehabilitation support for home care clients, veterans, NDIS clients and personal injury claimants.
Rob says the rapid growth comes down to a single unifying purpose.
“Our mission is helping people stay independent in their own homes,” he says. “Everyone who works here connects to that purpose. That’s what keeps them in the sector.”
The business has also become a standout employer for working parents, offering flexible schedules built around school hours. “It’s a tough sector to recruit in,” he says. “But if people connect to the purpose and we support their lifestyle, they stay.”
Rob’s connection to QUT continues to grow. After completing the EMBA, he was appointed an Entrepreneur in Residence, and Residenz now works out of QUT’s Foundry space at the Gardens Point campus.
“I mentor students, run masterclasses and stay connected to the community,” he says. “QUT backed me during the EMBA, and staying involved feels like the right way to give back.”
Looking back, he is unequivocal about the impact.
“The EMBA didn’t just give me a qualification,” he says. “It gave me the mindset and confidence to take a risk that completely changed my life.”
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