Talent Pillar
Education to Employability to Economic Advantage: Malaysia’s Talent Reset
Datuk Professor Dr. Azlinda Azman stands at the forefront of the nation's academic and intellectual advancement, currently serving as the Director General of Higher Education for Malaysia. Appointed to this pivotal mandate in May 2023, she leads the Department of Higher Education with a decisive vision to steer the nation’s tertiary landscape. Under her stewardship, she is steadfastly committed to elevating institutional standards and ensuring that accessible, high-quality education remains a reality for all.
Her current executive leadership is built upon a formidable and expansive career in academia, encompassing vast national and international experience in teaching, research, and institutional governance. Prior to driving the overarching national higher education agenda, she cultivated deep administrative and developmental expertise at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). Through her progressive leadership roles as Program Chair, Dean of the School of Social Sciences, and ultimately the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and Alumni at USM, she developed a profoundly comprehensive worldview. Today, Datuk Professor Dr. Azlinda seamlessly leverages this rich grassroots and institutional perspective to continuously set, refine, and strengthen the strategic direction of higher education across the country.
Professor Dato’ Elizabeth Lee is a transformative force in the region's academic landscape, serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Sunway Education Group. Under her visionary leadership since 1992, the group owned and governed by the not-for-profit Jeffrey Cheah Foundation has expanded dramatically from a single institution into a dynamic ecosystem of over 20 educational entities, spanning early childhood education to higher learning and alternative education pathways.
Beyond her organizational stewardship, Professor Dato' Elizabeth is a highly respected thought leader and advocate for inclusive leadership. She actively champions humanitarian and equitable initiatives as a trustee for both MERCY Malaysia and the 30% Club, an organization dedicated to promoting female representation on public company boards. Her strategic influence extends globally through her active memberships in the British Council’s Going Global Partners Group and the High-Level Advisory Council of the UN SDG Academy, positioning her at the forefront of international education and sustainable development.
Grounded in deep academic rigor, she holds a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Education from Cambridge University and previously served as the president of the Oxford and Cambridge Alumni Society of Malaysia. Her lifelong dedication to elevating educational standards has been widely celebrated on the global stage, earning her three honorary doctorates from the University of Nottingham, Lancaster University, and Victoria University. In profound acknowledgment of her enduring contributions to the field of education, she was appointed as a Professor at Sunway University in 2021 and bestowed the prestigious state title of Dato’ by His Royal Highness Sultan Nazrin Shah, the Sultan of Perak, in 2022.
Dato’ Megat Iskandar Shah brings 25 years of distinguished experience in assurance and advisory services across Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Currently a Partner with EY in Malaysia, he previously served as EY Malaysia’s Deputy Assurance Leader and Banking & Capital Markets Assurance Leader from 2024 to 2026. Throughout his career, he has spearheaded complex engagements for global, regional, and local financial institutions, encompassing conventional and Islamic banks, insurance companies, and takaful operators. With deep expertise spanning financial reporting, risk management assurance, and regulatory compliance, Dato’ Megat has successfully guided organizations through increasingly intricate business environments, leading major IFRS and MFRS implementation programs and advising on critical accounting transformations and governance frameworks.
Beyond his technical acumen and client responsibilities, Dato’ Megat is deeply invested in human capital and organizational growth. As the Malaysia Talent Leader at EY, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the firm's overarching people strategy, elevating the talent experience, and fostering an inclusive, future-ready workplace. Drawing on his firsthand insights into the evolving demands of clients and industries, he remains steadfastly committed to developing the next generation of leaders. By actively helping individuals realize their full potential, Dato’ Megat seamlessly bridges the gap between industry excellence and the workforce of tomorrow.
Maha Subramaniam is the Director of Creador Foundation Malaysia, where she leads Schola (schola.org.my), a free career-guidance platform that helps Malaysian students discover careers and make more informed decisions about education and work. In its first two years, Schola reached more than 800,000 users across Malaysia.
Maha built Schola from an early idea into a national platform, leading work across product development, public-school distribution, partnerships and youth engagement. Her work focuses on one of the earliest gaps in Malaysia’s talent pipeline: young people are expected to make life-shaping decisions with limited visibility into what careers involve or how education pathways connect to work.
Before joining Creador Foundation, Maha worked at Bank Negara Malaysia on financial innovation, digital inclusion and Malaysia’s economic response to COVID-19. A Bank Negara Kijang Scholar, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics, with concentrations in Finance and Management, from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Growing up in a low-income household and receiving a scholarship that changed her own path continue to shape her commitment to widening access to information and opportunity.
Leon believes in driving change at the dynamic intersection of creativity, industry, and leadership. Grounded in a strong corporate foundation, he established a 12-year track record as an award-winning copywriter at Leo Burnett before transitioning into strategic advisory. Serving as the Vice President of Brand & Content Strategy for PEMANDU Associates, he continues to shape overarching organizational directions and currently sits on the Board as Vice Chairman.
Bridging his industry expertise with deep-rooted creativity, Leon serves as the Executive Pastor and Head of Leadership Development for HTBB Church, where he actively oversees its digital campus and strategic growth. A painter and musician at heart, his creative endeavors extend to holding a Guinness World Record for painting contributions and co-writing multiple tracks for his church’s Worship Music Ministry. Championing transformational leadership in the public sphere, Leon also created and co-hosts the Game Of Impossible (GOI) Podcast Malaysia’s leading father and son podcast dedicated to shaping the next generation of leaders.
Yet, underpinning all of these professional and creative milestones are his most foundational roles: a dedicated husband to his wife, Andrea, and a father to his two children, Isla and Jett.