Board of Advisors
Dato’ Sharifah is a strategic and results-oriented leader with over 30 years of experience in operations, complemented by 12 years in higher education. She served 33 years with the public-listed HICOM Holdings Berhad/DRB-HICOM Berhad Group, including 18 years as Chief Executive Officer across two subsidiary companies. Her career reflects deep exposure to corporate planning and a strong track record in organisational start-up and development, underpinned by transformational leadership and a proven ability to develop and execute business plans that consistently exceed expectations.
She brings expert knowledge in leadership and management, with particular strength in aligning organisational objectives with broader industry direction. Her capabilities extend to learning and development, supported by a solid grounding in market research. As a highly accomplished and persuasive communicator, she is recognised for her exceptional interpersonal skills and her ability to build strong, lasting relationships across diverse stakeholder groups, adapting readily to changing demands and navigating time-sensitive, challenging circumstances with confidence and skill. Dato’ Sharifah maintains a strong network with key stakeholders across educational and professional bodies, both locally and internationally. She serves as a Council Member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Malaysia (CILTM) and is active within Global Women in Logistics and Transport (WiLAT). She is the Project Representative of the National Taskforce of APEC Women in Transportation (WiT) under the Ministry of Transport, driving diversity and leadership within Malaysia’s port sector, and participates actively in the Port Centre of Excellence (PCOE), anchored by the Johor Port Authority, which links academia to industry. She is also an EXCO Member of Badan Iktisas Malaysia (BIM) and Treasurer of the Malaysia Women Graduate Association (PSWM).