Alumni Awards 2017-2018

Professional Achievement Award

Dr. John Chan Kok Meng 

Imperial College London, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Professional Achievement finalist Dr. John Chan Kok Meng graduated with a doctorate in cardiovascular sciences from Imperial College London. Currently Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur, he developed the nation’s first structured training programme in cardiothoracic surgery in collaboration with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Malaysian Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery. This programme aims to address the shortage of cardiothoracic surgeons in Malaysia and consequentially, improve the delivery of heart, lung, and chest surgery. He also set up the national heart surgery registry, allowing the monitoring of cardiac surgical activity and outcomes nationwide.

Azuani Haslinda Ab Halim

Cranfield University, University of Leeds

Chevening scholar and Cranfield University alumna Azuani Haslinda Ab Halim has been making waves with her postgraduate degree in thermal power, landing her a position in the Professional Achievement final. An award-winning engineer in the industry, she has investigated machinery issues, recommended new engineering solutions, and developed continuous surveillance and improvement plans of machinery health. Throughout her career, she has optimised machine reliability and output and also reduced unnecessary financial costs for her company. As a result of these achievements, she has been elected as a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), UK.

Entrepreneurial Award

Norish Kareem

Cardiff University, Kingston University 

Norish Kareem, the founder of Norish Kareem Couture, is an Entrepreneurial finalist who has put Malaysian fashion on the global runway, from Paris Fashion Week all the way to coveted spots at the New York Fashion Week. As an inclusive employer, the brand has also opened fashion shows with Down syndrome model Madeline Stuart. Norish is an MBA graduate from Cardiff University and Master of Research in Business and Management from Kingston University London. Norish comprehensive experience in the UK made her success in business today.

Elwinder Singh

University of Warwick

 A graduate of the University of Warwick, Entrepreneurial finalist Elwinder Singh founded Connect and Heal to provide ease of access to primary and preventive care in India. To date, the company has served over 20,000 patients across India via 4 clinics and on-site occupational health centres in over 95 corporate locations. Whilst continuing to organize the primary care space, he hopes to launch the company’s retail and CSR arm aimed at providing convenient and accessible primary care across urban and rural India, and eventually, Southeast Asia. Passionate about economic development, he has previously lent his time to volunteering in a Ghanaian microfinance institution to help rural villagers and small-scale entrepreneurs gain access to micro-credit.

Social Impact Award

Kartini Kamalul Ariffin

Goldsmiths, University of London 

Social Impact Award finalist Kartini Kamalul Ariffin is currently Director at youth radio station, iM4U fm, where she has curated campaigns to showcase local talent and talented person with disability on one stage as part of the station’s campaign to promote inclusion and diversity. She has also spearheaded a charity drive by bringing together local fashion designers, volunteers from higher institutions of learning and corporate partners to provide the less fortunate with brand new clothes and newly refurbished homes for Raya celebration in 3 consecutive years. As a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF Malaysia from 2005-2007, she has highlighted children’s needs both locally and globally as a host on the award-winning TV programme 3R. She is an alumna and ambassador of Goldsmiths, University of London, and a Chevening Award recipient.

Dr. Renard Siew

University of Cambridge 

Armed with a Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Value Chains from University of Cambridge, Dr Renard Siew has helped impact more than 100,000 lives through his work with Sime Darby and the Global Shapers Community initiative. He has worked on a wide range of projects, from urban rejuvenation, tackling the hunger crisis among urban minorities, and organizing intergenerational programs between youths and the elderly. As a sustainability advocate in Asia, Dr Renard is frequently engaged to deliver talks. He is also an Advisory Mentor to the Queen's Young Leaders, where he shares his UK experience with bright young talent from all over the world. 

Malek Ali 
Alumnus, University of Bristol  

Well-known both on and off the airwaves, Managing Director and Founder of BFM 89.9 Malek Ali is the Study UK Alumni Award 2018 ambassador in the Entrepreneurial category. He independently grew BFM into the first and leading business radio station in Malaysia at a time when radio was dominated by established media conglomerates. Prior to this, Malek had a prolific career with Yahoo! Southeast Asia, Maxis, and the Boston Consulting Group, and can lay claim to being part of the pioneer team at JobStreet. He is an alumnus of Bristol University and Harvard Business School.

Lisa Surihani
Alumna, Aberystwyth University  

Widely regarded as Malaysia’s sweetheart, Lisa Surihani is an award-winning actress, model, and host, and joins the Study UK UK Alumni Awards 2018 as Ambassador of the Social Impact category. This year she was also appointed as UNICEF’s National Ambassador in Malaysia, with the aim of promoting and advancing the rights of children in Malaysia and globally in the areas of violence and abuse, disabilities, safe use of the internet, and early childhood education. An alumna of Aberystwyth University, Lisa credits her time in the UK for shaping the person she is today.

Datin Kathleen Chew
Alumna, University of Birmingham  

A person of many hats, Datin Kathleen Chew Wai Lin is the Legal Counsel of YTL Group, Programme Director of YTL Foundation, Deputy Chairman of Hospis Malaysia, and serves as a trustee for the GAB Foundation, the Dignity for Children Foundation and Montfort Boys Town. She is now the Ambassador of the Study UK Alumni Awards 2018 in the Professional Achievement category. A graduate of Birmingham University in Law, Datin Kathleen splits her time between the legal and corporate industry and charitable work with a special focus on education.

Mary-Ann Suan Kim Ooi

Winner of the Entrepreneurial category in Malaysia’s Study UK Alumni Awards 2017, Mary-Ann’ returns as a judge in the Entrepreneurial category. Having graduated with LLB (Hons) from the University of Sheffield, Mary-Ann is a lawyer by trade at O S Kim & Associates, a boutique corporate, commercial and real estate legal practice. She also serves as Advisory Board Member for her alma mater. Her passion in the area of sustainability was sparked during her student days in the UK. She founded and heads Builders Biomass, a company that looks into providing renewable sources of energy, aiming to reduce global dependence on fossil fuels.

Wan Dazriq Wan Zulkiflee

A well-known figure in the social enterprise scene, Wan Dazriq Wan Zulkiflee is the Study UK Alumni Awards 2018 judge in the Social Impact category. As Strategic Initiatives Manager at Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC), he specialises in areas of change and transformation, and has had experience with various multinational companies in Malaysia. He has a keen interest in education equity and public health awareness, with the aim of addressing societal needs as a whole. 

Fiona Liao

2018’s Study UK Alumni Awards judge in the Professional Achievement category is Fiona Liao, Chief Brand Officer of Prudential Assurance Malaysia. In this role, she has been instrumental in building the Prudential brand via innovative brand engagement initiatives and revenue generation activities. During her tenure, she has led her team to numerous local and regional marketing award successes, including the 2010 Golf Effie Award for Prudential’s PRUmy child campaign, and was also selected as one of the 50 Most Talented CMOs by the 2013 World Marketing Summit Listing. Fiona also manages the company’s corporate social responsibility programmes and government relations function.