Speakers

YB Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah

Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia

Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah completed his first degree in Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur in 1984. His career in the education field began 1981 as a teacher and counsellor at Yayasan Anda Akademik, an institution striving for affordable education for everyone. In 1995, he successfully graduated in an Executive Course from Harvard Business School in Boston, USA. Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah then became the Senior Manager at the International Islamic University of Malaysia. Subsequently in 2008, he was elected as the Director for Privasia Sdn. Bhd, a leading ICT and business process outsourcing player in Malaysia, with established clientele including market leaders in the logistics, education, finance, manufacturing, and FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) sectors. Dato’ Saifuddin also actively participates in community engagement activities, becoming the secretary for the Barisan Bertindak Bosnia (Bosnian Action Front) and President for the Malaysian Youth Council.

Dr. Sharifah Mariam Binti Mohammed Alhabshi

Senior Lecturer and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and International) of the International Institute on Policy and Management at University of Malaya

Dr. Sharifah Mariam, a very distinguished figure in public policy analysis, is a Ph.D holder of Geo Information and Public Policy from Durham University, United Kingdom. She obtained both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Urban and Regional Environment from the University of Southern California, USA. Dr Sharifah serves on the Advisory Board of the Malaysia Centre for Geospatial Data Infrastructure (MaCGDI). Apart from winning two separate Outstanding Service Awards in 2008 and 2010 respectively, Dr. Sharifah was also a fellow scholar of the University of Cambridge in the Development Studies Programme in 2006. She has consistently provided her expertise at national and international levels in various leadership and advisory capacities, including serving as the Head Coordinator, International Institute of Public Policy & Management (Inpuma) and as a consultant to the ASEAN and ASEAN +3 Secretariats in 2008. Her book, “Case Studies on Government Programs and Policies,” was published by University of Malaya in 2009. Other recent publications include book chapters, “What We Have And Not: E-Government in Malaysia” and "E-Government in Malaysia: Barriers and Progress," published by Cairo University and IGI Global, Pennsylvania, respectively.

*Dr. Sharifah Mariam Binti Mohammed Alhabshi is also a judge for the MPPC 2012

Professor James Chin

Professor of Political Science and Head of School at Monash University, Malaysia

He is a proud Ph.D. holder from the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Previously, he graduated with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Political Economy from the University of Adelaide, Australia and then a BA Hons in Government & Public Administration from the University of Sydney, Australia. In 2007 to 2008, he served as the Professor of Swinburne University of Technology (Malaysia campus). He was also the Director in the Institute of East Asian Studies. Professor Chin’s works and research revolves around minority rights, elections, democratisation and good governance issues. The countries of his interest are mainly ASEAN countries (especially Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore) and those in the South Pacific Rim (especially Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Solomon Islands). Examples of his journals and books are ‘Nine Ideas to Improve Our Electoral System: Submission to the Parliamentary Select Committee’ (2009) and ‘The Iranun Of Sabah: Language And Culture Of An Endangered Minority In Malaysia’ (2011). Before becoming a Professor in Monash University, he was a financial journalist in Singapore. 

* Professor James Chin is also a judge for MPPC 2012

Dzameer Dzulkifli

Founder, Teach for Malaysia

Dzameer is an alumnus of the United World College of Southeast Asia, Singapore, and holds a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College London. He started his career as a consultant with PwC in 2007 and has experience in human capital development, process improvements, and project management engagements in Malaysia and Indonesia.  Dzameer volunteers weekly at the UNHCR Myanmar Refugees Education Centre in Kuala Lumpur, where he tutors Mathematics to young refugees. In 2009, Dzameer commenced working on the idea of Teach For Malaysia.  He dedicated his energy towards Teach For Malaysia as it is a proven model that creates a win-win environment for the Ministry of Education, the private sector, passionate young Malaysian leaders and most importantly the students and families the programme will reach. 

* Dzameer Dzulkifli is also a judge for MPPC 2012

Chen Chow Yeoh

Education Advocate and Movement Initiator, Chief Operating Officer, Groupon Malaysia

Chen Chow graduated from Cornell University with a Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Groupon Malaysia. Previously, he served as the Product Manager at JobStreet and the Management Consultant at Accenture. Chen Chow has appeared on 8TV 8pm News, Astro Awani, Bernama Radio as well as spoken at various institutions including UM, UKM, Taylor’s, Inti, TPM College and the Institute of Engineers Malaysia. He also conducted several US Applications Workshops in recent years. Chen Chow is actively involved in various organisations such as the Malaysian Mensa Society, American Universities Alumni Malaysia, Cornell Alumni Admission Ambassador Network (CAAAN) Malaysia and Young Corporate Malaysians. He owns a blog that shares news and initiatives related to education and youth. 

* Chen Chow is also a judge for MPPC 2012

Johan Mahmood Merican

Chief Executive Officer, Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad

Johan Merican is the appointed CEO of Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad. He has 16 years of working experience across the Government and private sectors. Johan most recently served as Principal Private Secretary to the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department. His roles in the Government involved policy work at the Economic Planning Unit and Ministry of Finance. He was involved in the development of human capital-related initiatives such as the GLC Blue Book on Performance-linked Compensation policy, PINTAR (GLC school adoption program) and Trust Schools (public private partnership model for schools).Prior to serving the Government, Johan’s experience in the private sector is mainly in the corporate finance and accounting roles at MRCB, UDA Holdings Berhad, Sime Darby and PricewaterhouseCoopers.Johan holds a first class honours degree in Economics from the University of Cambridge and is a Chartered Accountant (Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales – ICAEW).

Dato’ Noor Rezan Bapoo Hashim

Trustee, Teach for Malaysia

Dato’ Noor Rezan Bapoo Hashim is the former Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Education Malaysia (MoE). She also headed the Committee under the purview of the Prime Minister to strengthen the English language in Malaysian schools, and was also the MoE’s Lab Leader under the National Key Result Areas (NKRA). Dato’ Noor Rezan has taught English for over 20 years. She began her teaching career in SMK Westlands, Penang. In 1985, she moved to Kuala Lumpur and taught in five different schools, before being appointed Principal of SMK Seri Bintang Utara (SBU). During her leadership at SMK SBU, she maintained an academic interest in English and School Management through continuing participation in international conferences. She also presented papers and spoke on panels at numerous local and international forums. In May 2006, she was appointed as the Director of the Schools Division at the MoE. Dato’ Noor Rezan is currently the Education Adviser to Khazanah Nasional Berhad, providing guidance on several educational initiatives, namely PINTAR Foundation, Trust Schools, and Teach for Malaysia.

Li-Kai Chen

Partner 

McKinsey and Company, Malaysia

 

Li-Kai Chen is a Partner with McKinsey and Company based in Malaysia. Li-Kai was previously with McKinsey's Singapore office and has served clients across Southeast Asia, Greater China, Korea and the Middle East. His recent work focuses on education system transformation and public-private partnerships in education in the Asia region and globally. Li-Kai is also the head of the education practice of McKinsey and Company in Asia. He primarily serves clients in the public sector and education sector on strategy and implementation programs and initiatives across topics spanning school system reform, public sector delivery, private education sector strategy and education investments.

Dr. Anis Mahmud

Deputy Director, Center for Public Policy Studies, INTAN.

Prior to joining INTAN, he had served at the Ministry of Housing and Local Government for 17 years. He has extensive knowledge in areas related to Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA), Public Policy, Coaching & Mentoring, Scenario Planning and Visionary Leadership. He holds a Bachelor of Computer Resource Management from Webster University, St Louis, Missouri, U.S.A and a PhD. in Management Development from University of Hull, United Kingdom.