In a world where cultural festivals often feel either overly commercial or too niche to scale, Karina Ridzuan is quietly, confidently charting a different course. As Festival Director of Ombak Festival, Malaysia’s coastal celebration of music, art, and Southeast Asian soul, she’s proving that creativity and commerciality can coexist. Family warmth and cultural substance don’t have to be opposing forces. With thoughtful curation and purposeful leadership, you can have both.
Karina currently serves as the Interim Group CEO and Director of Group Business Services at Destination Resorts and Hotels Sdn. Bhd. (DRH), a subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Berhad. DRH has been her corporate home since 2011, where she has helped shape governance strategies, corporate culture, and growth frameworks across high-value tourism and hospitality assets.
But her roots go deeper still. Karina spent 16 years at PETRONAS before taking on the role of CEO at Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, where she revitalised classical music for broader and younger audiences.
“I’ve always believed in the power of live performance,” Karina reflects. “There’s something magical — it’s half what’s happening on stage, and half how the audience responds to it.” That belief now pulses at the heart of Ombak.
The Making Of A Destination Festival
Desaru Coast, a jewel along Malaysia’s southern shoreline, boasts four hotels, a 45-hole golf course across two courses, a water park, a conference centre, and its own international ferry terminal. Events would ideally serve as another incentive to vitalise the location.
“A place thrives when it’s alive,” Karina says. “We’ve hosted huge events like Ironman, but we wanted something more rooted in lifestyle, something vibrant, creative, and place-defining.” And so, the idea for Ombak Festival was born.
Now entering its second edition, Ombak is growing in ambition and scope. From 12–14 September 2025, the beaches of Desaru will once again transform into a coastal village of sound, flavour, and movement. The festival welcomes music lovers, art seekers, families, and anyone looking to experience something a little different.
“It’s about how you spend a weekend with the people you love,” Karina explains. “We call it The Ultimate Weekend because we really want there to be something for everyone.”
Last year’s debut featured iconic performances from The Cardigans, Grace Jones, and Macy Gray. This year, Ombak steps into global spotlight territory with Simply Red’s exclusive Southeast Asian performance as part of their 40th anniversary tour. Joining them are funk legends George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, soul powerhouse Joss Stone, and the long-awaited Malaysian debut of Flight Facilities. And that’s just the international side.
“The play this year is to boldly represent the best of ASEAN. We’re uniting global icons with regional talents to deliver an experience that celebrates both live music and Southeast Asian identity.” – Karina Ridzuan
In a strategic nod to Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Karina and her team have deepened the festival’s regional presence. This year’s line-up includes Phum Viphurit (Thailand), Joe Flizzow, SonaOne, Ismail Izzani, Gerhana Skacinta (Malaysia), The Pinholes (Singapore), and Indonesia’s Diskoria and Tanayu.
“The play this year is to boldly represent the best of ASEAN,” Karina says. “We’re uniting global icons with regional talents to deliver an experience that celebrates both live music and Southeast Asian identity.”
Curated With Care
But Ombak isn’t just a music event, it’s a curated experience. One that is layered, textured, and thoughtfully designed. In 2025, the culinary line-up includes acclaimed chefs like Andrew Walsh and KL’s Carbon, offering everything from flame-grilled indulgence to immersive mixology. There are artisan markets, hands-on art workshops, and returning favourites like the 10-foot puppets Meera & Fiz, and kite-making sessions with Go Fly Kites.
For families, the Ombak Kids zone delivers a headline experience of its own. Last year’s art collaboration with Segaris Art Center introduced children to sculpture. This year, block printing takes centre stage, yet another example of the festival’s commitment to culture and creative education.
“This year we’ve pared back some of the broader programming to refine the Festival Village,” Karina notes. “We learned a lot from the first edition, taking into account what people gravitated toward, where they lingered and we’ve used that insight to ground the experience while keeping it aspirational.”
Leadership Behind The Lifestyle
Karina’s ability to orchestrate such a multi-sensory event comes from her rare blend of artistic sensibility and operational precision. Never one to parachute into creativity without context, she understands her audience and how to build consensus across public, private, and community stakeholders.
“Marrying hospitality and music whilst balancing a budget is always a challenge,” she says. “You’re bringing in talent, managing staging, ticketing, curating F&B and layering all of that within an operational hospitality ecosystem. There’s always a commercial lens: how do you deliver something meaningful and still make it sustainable?”
By all accounts, she’s succeeding. The festival’s debut was met with acclaim from audiences and critics, and this year’s edition is already generating regional buzz. The festival also dovetails with national tourism goals, supporting Visit Johor and Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
It’s a deft example of how cultural programming can serve as a lever for tourism, placemaking, and soft diplomacy. “None of this would’ve been possible without the support of the Greater Desaru community and state authorities,” Karina says. “From the very beginning, it’s been a shared effort.”
A Festival With A Malaysian Soul
At a time when global festivals often chase the same headlines, Ombak stands out, not just for its programming, but for its personality. It’s undeniably international, yet grounded. Stylish, yet welcoming. Bold, but never brash. And in many ways, that reflects Karina herself.
Behind the sharp tailoring and boardroom presence is a festival director with a genuine love for connection, performance, and placemaking. Someone who sees the stage as more than a platform, and the weekend as more than a break.
As Ombak Festival prepares to take its next bold step this September, Karina Ridzuan isn’t just curating a festival — she’s shaping how Malaysia expresses its cultural identity to the world. And the movement she’s buildng is only just beginning.
