Expert

Tony Fernandes is best known for co-founding low-cost carrier AirAsia with Datuk Kamarudin Meranun in 2001 and democratising air travel in the region. Since 2018, Fernandes has been spearheading a digital transformation of his businesses, launching AirAsia’s super app in October 2020, a comprehensive travel and lifestyle platform which offers flights, hotels, e-hailing services, food, and edutech products. He is currently the CEO of Capital A, an investment holding company with a diverse portfolio of synergistic businesses, including aviation, fintech BigPay, and logistics venture Teleport.

Nazir Razak is Chairman and Founding Partner of Ikhlas Capital and Chairman of PLS Plantation. He retired as CIMB Group Chairman in 2018 after 29 years. He served on EPF's Investment Panel and Khazanah Nasional's Board. Recognized as Malaysia’s top CEO, he received Finance Asia’s Lifetime Achievement Award (2009) and Asia House Asian Business Leaders Award (2015). Nazir advocates ASEAN integration and chairs Malaysia’s ASEAN-BAC.

Dato’ Kamarul, founder and Group CEO of Aerodyne Group, has propelled the Malaysian-based drone solutions provider to the forefront of the global industry. Under his leadership, Aerodyne has achieved the remarkable distinction of being ranked the number one drone services provider worldwide by Drone Industry Insights of Germany. What began as a 3-person start-up in 2014 has now expanded into a global leader with a presence in 35 countries, all within just six years.

Professor Salman Leong had been with UTM since 1975. He is a Practicing Engineer since 1984 working in an institution of higher learning.  He is actively involved in engineering consultancy in the ASEAN region and has more than 40 years professional engineering consulting experience.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd Naz’ri Mahrin served as the Dean of the Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics (RFTI) at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) from January 2022 to May 2024. Starting in June 2024, he has taken on the critical role of being the inaugural Dean for the newly established Faculty of Artificial Intelligence (FAI) at UTM, a national initiative dedicated to developing the future workforce in Artificial Intelligence. He has served UTM since 1997, contributing to both academia and research in advanced technology.

Muhammad Rezal Kamel Ariffin received the B.S. and M.S. degrees in mathematics from Universiti Putra Malaysia, in 1999 and 2002, respectively, and the Ph.D. degree in mathematics from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia, in 2009. He has been the Deputy President of MSCR, since 2018. He is currently the Director of the Institute for Mathematical Research, Universiti Putra Malaysia, where he is also an Associate Professor with the Department of Mathematics.

Teoh Jiun Ee, CARSOME’s co-founder and former COO, now serves as Culture Coach and CEO of CARSOME Academy, driving nation-building through workforce development. Under his leadership, the Academy pioneered Malaysia’s first TVET inspection skills training, training over 1,500 students and 6,500 employees regionally. Teoh has fostered strategic partnerships with key institutions like Sunway University, Yayasan Peneraju, and Indonesia’s Program Kartu Prakerja to elevate automotive education and economic growth.

Nizam Abd Razak, creator of BoBoiBoy, Papa Pipi, and Mechamato, transformed MONSTA into a multimedia company with a digital network, media agency, and toy development arm. His work has reached 100+ countries and 20 billion views, with more than 3,000 licensed products globally. Recognized in DNA's DIGERATI 50, Nizam also teaches as an Adjunct Professor at MMU and Fellow Adjunct at UUM.

Razlan is the founder, CEO & CTO of Aphelia, a space startup pioneering wireless power technology for Moon and Earth applications, including defense. They have secured prospective customers across the USA, Canada, and Europe. Aphelia's awards include the Asian Entrepreneur Award 2022, Real Tech Fund award, and winning Malaysia's Startup World Cup 2023. Razlan is the 2024 Payload Pioneers winner, an under-30 award for rising stars in the space industry.

Raja Shamri bin Raja Husin, often fondly referred to as **Abang Raja*, is a beacon of inspiration in Malaysia. Born with only one leg, his life's journey is a testament to resilience, determination, and an unwavering spirit to help others. His physical challenge has not deterred him from achieving monumental success as an entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and philanthropist

Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar is currently the Chairman of the Malaysia International Islamic Finance Centre (MIFC) Leadership Council, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and the Chairman of INCEIF University (The International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance). Between June 2004 and July 2018, he was the Managing Director of Khazanah Nasional Berhad, Malaysia's strategic investment fund with AUM then of ~ USD40bn. Between December 2021 and December 2023, he was the Chairman of Lembaga Tabung Haji Malaysia (Hajj Pilgrims Fund Board with AUM of ~ USD20bn)

Tan Sri Abdul Majid Khan is the Chairman of KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific and Executive Chairman of Jaycorp Berhad. A seasoned entrepreneur, he has extensive experience in banking, corporate sectors, politics, and public service. He held key roles, including Chairman of Sabah Timber Association and Sabah Development Bank, and served in the Sabah State Legislative Assembly. Majid was also a Director of Malaysian Airline System Berhad. Currently, he chairs Jawala Corporation Sdn Bhd, leveraging decades of leadership and business expertise.

Dr. Osman Bakar, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Malaya, serves as the Deputy CEO of IAIS Malaysia and is a Visiting Researcher at Doshisha University, Japan. He previously held the prestigious position of Malaysia Chair of Islam at Georgetown University and was a Fulbright Scholar at Harvard University. An esteemed expert in Islamic philosophy, science, and intercultural dialogue, Dr. Bakar founded the Center for Civilizational Studies at UM. He has authored 15 influential books, including Tawhid and Science, and has provided advisory services to UNESCO and the Qatar Foundation. Recognized globally as a leading intellectual, his works have been extensively translated, underscoring his significant impact on Islamic thought and civilizational studies worldwide.

Izz Imil Shahrom, an exceptionally talented child born with mild autism and hyperlexia, is now pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics at the University of Malaya. He has shown extraordinary abilities since childhood, entering Form 1 at Permata Pintar at the age of six. Izz Imil also completed O Level at the age of eight and A Level at 11.

Mr. Apurva Sanghi is the World Bank's Chief Economist for Malaysia, with prior roles in Russia and East Africa. He leads the Global Economic Growth Group and is an IPCC lead author. With expertise in infrastructure, climate change, and agriculture, he has worked in the US private sector and academia.

Prof. Dr. Jomo Kwame Sundaram is a Research Advisor at Khazanah Research Institute and a Visiting Fellow at Columbia University's Initiative for Policy Dialogue. Formerly a professor at the University of Malaya and Assistant UN Secretary-General, he received the 2007 Wassily Leontief Prize for advancing economic thought and has held key UN roles.

Prof. Dr. Noor Azlan is an Economics Professor at UKM-Graduate School of Business and Director of MINDA-UKM. He was UKM's Vice-Chancellor (2014-2018) and served on the Economic Action Council and Bank Negara’s Monetary Policy Committee. He is also a Mason Fellow at Harvard Kennedy and chairs Sultan Azlan Shah University.

Tan Sri Yong Poh Kon is the Chairman of Royal Selangor International Sdn Bhd and a director at Telekom Malaysia Bhd and GS1 Malaysia Bhd. He is also a Trustee of MIER. He has previously served on the boards of Bank Negara Malaysia, SKMM, EPF, and the Economic Council of the Prime Minister’s Office. Tan Sri Yong was Co-Chair of PEMUDAH with the Chief Secretary of the Government and Past President of FMM. He founded Malaysian Mensa and YPO Malaysia and holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Adelaide.

Marco Larizza is a Senior Public Sector Specialist at the World Bank and a core author of the 2017 World Development Report on "Governance and the Law." He has led studies and projects supporting public sector reforms in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. His work focuses on GovTech, transparency, institutional analysis, and decentralization. Marco has been a visiting fellow at Georgetown University and the University of Essex and has published extensively on democratization, human rights, fiscal decentralization, and public service reforms. He holds a PhD and MA in Political Science from the University of Essex.

Datuk Dr. Anis Yusal Yusoff is a distinguished expert in governance and integrity, recognized for his contributions to promoting ethical practices in public administration. He served as the President & CEO of the Malaysian Institute of Integrity and Deputy Director-General of the National Centre for Governance, Integrity, and Anti-Corruption (GIACC) where he played a pivotal role in policy formulation. With a strong academic and professional background, his work focuses on fostering accountability and transparency to strengthen institutional frameworks in Malaysia. He is currently the Executive Director of INPUMA, UM.

Tan Sri Andrew Sheng is a former central banker and financial regulator in Asia and a commentator on global finance. He is Pro-Chancellor of Bristol University and Distinguished Fellow, Asia Global Institute, University of Hong Kong, as well as Chairman, George Town Institute of Open & Advanced Studies, Wawasan Open University (WOU), Malaysia. Sheng is a member of International Advisory Council of National Financial Regulatory Administration, China Securities Regulatory Commission and China Investment Corporation. He is one of the Chief Executive's Council of Advisers, The Government of the Hong Kong SAR. 

Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr. Sulaiman Mahbob is the Board Member, Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) an independent think tank on Economic Policy. Throughout his career in the Malaysian public service, Tan Sri Dr. Sulaiman held various important positions. His last role was Chairman of the Malaysian Investment Development Board (MIDA) in September 2022 - September 2024, Director General of the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) (2006 – 2009) of the Prime Minister's Department.

Professor Emeritus. Datuk Dr. Norma Mansor is currently the Director of Social Wellbeing Research Centre (SWRC), Universiti Malaya, a position she has held since 2013. She was appointed the Secretary of the National Economic Advisory Council, Prime Minister’s Department (2009 to 2011) after being the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Administration from April 2004 to June 2009. She was also the Executive Director of the International Institute of Public Policy and Management (INPUMA) from September 2001 until March 2004.

Dato’ Charon Wardini Mokhzani is the Chairman of Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Berhad (EXIM Bank). His distinguished career encompasses leadership roles across finance, law, and policy. He was previously Group Managing Director at Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Berhad and the first Managing Director of the Khazanah Research Institute and an Executive Director of Khazanah Nasional Berhad driving key national development strategies.

Dato’ Prof. Dr. Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah is presently the Vice Chancellor of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Professor in Transport Studies. Between March 2017 and April 2021, he was appointed as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic & International) of USM. Preceding his term as Deputy Vice Chancellor, he was both the Dean of the School of Civil Engineering and the Director of the USM’s Engineering campus.

Dato' Muhammad Noor Yacob is currently an adjunct professor in UKM and a member of board director in Malaysia Productivity Council. Previously he served as the Executive Director of APEC and Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the WTO

Profesor Dr KamarulNizam Abdullah is Principal Fellow at the Institute for Malaysia and International Studies (IKMAS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). Prof Nizam is also the Head of Malaysia-Indonesia-Relations (iKMI) at the Institute. He received his PhD from Lancaster University, UK; MA (International Relations) from the Australian National University, and Bachelor of Science (Political Science) from the University of Utah, USA. His areas of research focus on national and regional security,

Dr. Norasikin Ahmad Ludin is a renowned researcher and academic with over 20 years of expertise in renewable energy, specializing in photovoltaic solar technology. She serves as an Associate Professor and Senior Research Fellow at the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI), UKM, and an Associate Fellow at the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS). Dr. Norasikin holds a PhD from the University of Wales, UK, and an Executive Education certificate in Circular Economy from the University of Cambridge, UK. With a research portfolio exceeding USD 5.4 million, she has authored over 150 publications and significantly contributed to ASEAN energy policy.

Datuk Wira Dr. Hj Rais Hussin Hj Mohamed Ariff is a distinguished leader with 28 years of extensive experience in launching and expanding large-scale enterprise initiatives and international programs across various technical enterprises. He is currently the CEO of Technology Innovation Park Malaysia (MRANTI), where he focuses on accelerating demand-driven R&D in technology, positioning Malaysia as a nucleus for innovation. He is also the founder of EMIR Research, a firm specializing in data-driven research on national and international issues.

Prof. Dato’ Dr. Mohamad Fauzan Noordin is a highly esteemed academic and professional with a profound impact on the fields of information technology, cybersecurity, and knowledge management. He currently serves as a Professor at the Kulliyyah of Information & Communication Technology at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). His career is distinguished by numerous national recognitions, including the prestigious Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (DSPN) from Pulau Pinang in 2022, which carries the title Dato’. He also holds significant advisory roles, such as Advisor of Higher Education for Artificial Intelligence and Digitalization to the Minister of Higher Education and Deputy Chairman of the National Education Advisory Council (NEAC) for 2023-2025

Mohd Shafry Mohd Rahim is a distinguished Professor in Image Processing, renowned for his extensive contributions to the field. Born on January 19, 1976, he holds a Ph.D. in Spatial Modelling from Universiti Putra Malaysia, an M.Sc. in Computer Science with a major in Computer Graphics, and a B.Sc. in Computer Science from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. His academic journey began with a Diploma in Computer Science from the same institution.

Fong Swee Kiang, commonly known as SK Fong, is a highly experienced professional in the semiconductor industry, currently serving as the CEO of SkyeChip Sdn Bhd. With over 30 years of industry experience, SK Fong has made significant contributions to the field through various technical and management roles.

Kalai Selvan Subramaniam is a seasoned leader in the electronics and semiconductor industry with over 34 years of experience. He excels in building high-performing engineering teams and establishing successful startups. Throughout his career, he has played a key role in setting up teams to deliver valuable engineering services, particularly in semiconductor IC design and product development for leading electronics and semiconductor companies.

Started his career as a Business Development Manager at Gopeng Berhad in 1996. Served as General Manager at Tanjung Sanctuary Langkawi in 1998, which was later rebranded as Ritz Carlton Langkawi. A Fellow Chartered Certified Accountant (FCCA) and a Registered Accountant with the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) since 1996. Appointed as Head of Tourism at the Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) under the Ministry of Finance in 2007. 

Holder of a Bachelor's Degree in Electronic Engineering, majoring in Industrial Automation – Microelectronics, from Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea, as well as a Master’s Degree in Information Technology, majoring in Mobile and Internet Security (financial institutions), from Universiti Sains Malaysia. Currently pursuing a PhD in Production Engineering. Has over 28 years of work experience across various disciplines, including Electronic Engineering (EE), Mechanical Engineering, Telecommunications, ICT, and Corporate Strategy.

Khaidhir Elias was appointed as Chief Human Capital Officer of TM on September 1, 2024. Prior to this, he served as Vice President of Learning & Development at TM. With over 27 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, Khaidhir brings a strategic business perspective to human capital management.

Professor Dato’ Dr Zulkifli Idrus is affiliated with the Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, and the Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security (ITAFoS), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). Zulkifli has served UPM as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Director of ITAFoS, and Director of the Research Management Centre. His research interests encompass stress biology, animal welfare and nutrition in farm animals, particularly poultry. He has published more than 235 research articles, and his h-index and citation count (Scopus) are 39 and 5461, respectively. He was listed among the World’s Top 2% Scientists in animal science by Stanford University/Elsevier, from 2020 to 2024. Currently, he is the Chairman of the Agriculture Committee, Academy of Sciences Malaysia.

Professor Mhd Ikhwanuddin is the Director of the Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (AKUATROP) at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), which has been recognized as a Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE) by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. As the founding Director of this HICoE, Professor Ikhwanuddin has positioned AKUATROP as a leading institution in Malaysia for food safety related to aquaculture and capture fisheries. As a globally recognized expert in the breeding and farming of mud crabs, he has led more than 110 projects funded at the national, international, and industrial levels, including over 50 international grants, with total funding exceeding RM20 million (~ USD 5 million). Since 2021, he has been listed among the Top 2% of the world's best scientists in the field of fisheries for four consecutive years based on the evaluation by Stanford University.

Prof. Prof. Dr. Anjas Asmara Samsudin is a Professor in the Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia. He is currently serving as the Director of the Tropical Agriculture and Food Security Institute (ITAFoS), Universiti Putra Malaysia. Holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from UPM and a PhD in animal production from The University of Queensland, Australia. His teaching and expertise are in the field of animal nutrition. His involvement in the professional field is as the principal evaluator of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) for the discipline of animal science and he is currently also serving as the President of the Malaysian Animal Production Society. (MSAP). He has been listed among the top 2% of the world's best scientists in the field of animal science since 2023 based on the evaluation by Stanford University.

Dr. Hawa ZE Jaafar was an Associate Professor at the Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture upon joining Universiti Putra Malaysia in May 2004. Currently, she is a Consultant Fellow in the Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security (ITAFOS), UPM. Dr Hawa was conferred a Ph. D. in Plant Environmental Physiology from the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom in 1995. She has the expertise in horticulture and agronomy specializing in herbal and food crop quality and productivity enhancement

Professor Dr. Joy Jacqueline Pereira is a Principal Research Fellow at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Southeast Asia Disaster Prevention Research Initiative (SEADPRI-UKM) and Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM). Professor Pereira chairs the Malaysia Research Network on Climate, Environment and Development (MyCLIMATE), and serves as a Resource Person to the Malaysian Government on issues related to climate change, disaster risks and sustainable development. Professor Pereira is Co-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group III on Mitigation of Climate Change. She served as Vice-Chair of the IPCC Working Group II on Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability in its Sixth Assessment Cycle.

Dr. Hartini binti Mohd Nasir received her PhD in Global Governance in 2021 from Graduate School of Global Governance, Meiji University, Japan She has vast experience in government sector since 1997 namely Assistant Secretary / Principal Assistant Secretary, Company Coordination, Privatization and Public Enterprise Division, Ministry of Finance (MOF); Develops Malaysia’s Roadmap Towards Single- use Plastics, 2018-2030; Eco-Innovation Division, Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC) and many more.

Prof. Ts. Dr. Ali bin Selamat is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni) at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). He began his journey at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 1997 as a tutor and he was promoted to the post of Professor in Software Engineering at the age of 38. He holds a PhD from the University of Osaka Prefecture, Japan, and has held various leadership roles including Dean of MJIIT. His expertise spans data analytics, digital transformation and AI with extensive contributions to international academic and scientific communities.

Professor Nor Badrul Anuar is a prominent academic leader with a remarkable career in cybersecurity and ICT. As the Chief Information Officer at Universiti Malaya, he oversees critical services, including ICT, data management, and library operations. A Senate member and chair of numerous ICT and infrastructure development committees, he also leads the Centre of Research for Cyber Security & Network (CSNET). His academic journey began at Universiti Malaya, where he earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science, followed by a PhD from the University of Plymouth, UK, in 2012. Rising through the ranks, he became a full professor in 2022 and also serves as a visiting professor at Universiti Tenaga Nasional.

Prof. Dr. Norbahiah Misran is the Head of the Microwave Technology Research Group at UKM (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia). Her research encompasses microstrip antenna design and reflectarray antennas for communication and imaging applications. She also conducts research in engineering education. She has produced over 400 research articles and books. With an h-index of 45, she is listed among the World's Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024. She has been entrusted as the Leader of the Advanced Digital Technology Research Cluster at the National University of Malaysia.

Arif Tukiman is the co-founder and CEO of RunCloud, a cloud server management panel utilized in over 100 countries, focusing on simplicity and efficiency. Named in Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2020, he actively drives technological innovation and education through RunCloud Education and Cool Code Academy, with a mission to empower new talent and support the local startup ecosystem.

Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr. Teo Kok Seong is (i) a Senior Fellow at the National Professors Council (MPN), (ii) an Honorary Fellow at the Institute of Malaysian Future (MASA), and (iii) a Senior Advisory Fellow at The Future Research (FUTURE) besides a Professor Emeritus at the Institute of Ethnic Studies (KITA), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). Before being awarded the title of Professor Emeritus in the field of language and ethnography by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 2020, he had served at UKM since 1982 as a Professor of Sociolinguistics in the Malay language.

Prof. Dato’ Dr. Zulkiple Abd Ghani is currently a Professor of Da’wah, Communication and Media, Faculty of Leadership and Management, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). He was formerly Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International USIM, 2014-2018), a member of USIM’s Board of Directors (2012-2015), Dean of the Faculty of Leadership and Management (2012-2014) and as a Visiting Professor to the Istanbul Rumeli University (2019). Prior to, this he was Head of the Department of Dakwah and Leadership, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) (1997-2003) and Senior Fellow at the Institute of Islam Hadhari. He received his PhD degree from the University of Edinburgh in 1996 in the da’wah, communication and Islamic media.

Sister Pai Ling has been serving with Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia (BMSM) Group of Branches and Sections at the Management Committee of its branches and sections as well as at the Central Management Committee for past 20 years. Sister Pai Ling was the former Honorary Secretary of BMSM Kajang Branch and was recently re-elected as the Chairperson of BMSM Meditation Section. Currently, Sis Pai Ling is the 7th President of BMSM (sixth term: 2023-2025) since 2013 and started as an Acting President in 2011. The first Lady President after 50 years of inception of BMSM. BMSM is one of the oldest National Buddhist organisations in Malaysia (www.bmsm.org.my) and is coming to its 60s this year 2022. BMSM is one of the two INDUK (Buddhist) National Buddhist Organisations in Malaysia.

Mark Tan serves as Lay Pastor at Pantai Baptist Church. He has a Master in Pastoral Studies from Malaysia Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to that, he graduated with a Bachelor of Theology from MBTS and served as Youth and Young Adults Pastor for First Baptist Church in Subang Jaya for seven years. Mark has a deep passion to disciple Youth and College Students. Mark also regularly speaks in schools, colleges, churches and cell group gatherings across denominations. Mark is happily married to his lovely wife, Mae, who he met in Seminary in 2008. They have daughters, Noelle and Nadia.

Dr. M. Bala Tharmalingam completed his medical degree from Bangalore, India in 1993 and went on to complete his masters in Healthcare Administration and Science (Yoga). He obtained his PhD in Medical Education from Texila American University in 2016 and in Yoga & Health from Yoga University of Americas in 2023. He has served as a medical doctor under the ministry of health (MOH), Malaysia as principal assistant director in traditional & complementary medicine division. His research interests are in comparative theology & inter-religious harmony, traditional Indian medicine & yoga for human excellence, Sanatana Dharma specialized in Teaching Hindu Scriptures and Indian classical music with keen interest in ancient Tamil music and management science lessons from Indian scriptures.