Co-Founder, Nation Building School | Co-Founder, Malaysia Jobs Coalition | Director, KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific

Purpose (Why I do what I do?)

I grew up a loser. I'm serious. I was socially awkward (maybe I still am), shy and quiet. I had few Facebook friends, even fewer real friends. I neither excelled in academics nor sports. I struggled through my childhood and teenage years. I thought I was the odd one out. I didn't have anyone to tell me it was okay to be an introvert.

Everything changed when I went to university. That's when someone saw something in me — something I never knew. He empowered me — gave me a leadership opportunity. And I thrived. 

Ever since then, that has been my purpose: Seeing in people what they can’t see in themselves so they can live their best careers and lives. 

Goal (How do I plan to achieve my purpose?)

I believe in the power of the community. It’s the reason that I am where I am today. I feel I have an obligation to give back to the community. And I do that by combining my skills in community-building, public policy and youth development.

A key issue that I’m worried – and passionate – about is decent work and employment. There is another epidemic barely anyone is paying attention to: a global unemployment crisis. Wage inequality, underemployment and youth unemployment are – and have been – increasing due to skills mismatch and economic structural changes. 

I’ve co-founded a number of civil society organisations (CSOs) in an attempt to tackle or at the very least, shed light on this issue, especially in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. We have run various capacity-building programmes to upskill unemployed persons, especially the youth. Most recently, we have established the Malaysia Jobs Coalition (MJC) to champion a job for every single Malaysian by gathering like-minded CSOs to work with the Government, private sector and trade unions.

Leadership Roles (What am I actually doing?)

Nation Building School

  • Founded in 2015, Nation Building School is a social impact organisation dedicated to tackling unemployment and underemployment.
  • Engaged over 10,000 youths through workshops and outreach programmes.
  • Awarded The Edge Inspiring Young Leaders 2019 for our contributions.

Society for the Promotion of Human Rights (PROHAM)

  • Society for the Promotion of Human Rights (PROHAM)  is an independent and non-partisan human rights organisation established in 2011 by the former Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) and Royal Police Commission Commissioners.
  • Currently the Secretary General (2023-2026). As the inaugural Youth Chair (2021-2023), I formed our digital community of 152 members and worked closely with CSOs in promoting human rights.
  • Highlight so far is organising a symposium for voters with disabilities in collaboration with the National Council for the Blind, Malaysia (NCBM) and International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).

Malaysia Jobs Coalition (MJC)

  • Malaysia Jobs Coalition (MJC) advocates for employment access for ALL Malaysians (full employment).
  • Collaborating with the Government, private sector, trade unions and youth groups for solutions to strengthen the labour market.
  • Focused on Malaysia but aspire to champion decent work and full employment in Southeast Asia.

Accelerators (to amplify the impact!) 

Dalai Lama Fellows (2022)

  • Dalai Lama Fellows (DLF) is a unique one-year leadership program for emerging social change makers designed to help them cultivate self-awareness, resilience, and compassion
  • One of the 22 Fellows from 17 different countries working on a variety of social innovation projects that promote the flourishing of our communities
  • DLF inspired me to conceive and launch the Malaysia Jobs Coalition -- and to play a bigger game!
British Council Future Leaders Connect (2021)
  • Over 50 policy leaders selected out of 10,000 applicants worldwide, representing 13 countries
  • One of the four Malaysian participants; first time Malaysia has joined the programme
  • Underwent six weeks of intensive capacity-building activities to sharpen policy vision on zero youth unemployment
Acumen Academy Fellow (2021)
  • Acumen Academy is part of Acumen, a global U.S.-based non-profit impact investment fund with a mission to tackling poverty.
  • Being an Acumen Academy Malaysia 2021 Fellow, it's a one year journey learning the best social impact tools, strategies and mindset change.
  • The best part about being a Fellow is having a group of 18 like-minded comrades to go through with it you!

Chevening Scholar (2019/2020)

  • A fully-funded one-year Master's scholarship in the United Kingdom sponsored by the UK Government.
  • Selected for the Chevening Scholarship 2019/2020 batch.
  • Served as the President of Chevening Alumni Malaysia (2020/2022).

American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) Professional Fellow (2018)

  • Selected for the U.S. Department of State's Professional Fellow Program, specifically Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Spring 2018 for Governance and Society.
  • Attached to the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) and placed with YouthCARE Minnesota; based in Washington, D.C. for 2 weeks and spent 4 weeks in Minneapolis, Minnesota (while also visiting Fargo, North Dakota!).
  • Co-founded the YSEALI Council of Malaysia (YCOM), official alumni association of the YSEALI community in Malaysia.

ASEAN Youth Fellow (2018)

  • Selected for the inaugural 1st ASEAN Youth Fellowship jointly organised by Singapore International Foundation and National Youth Council Singapore with the full support of the government of Singapore.
  • Spent one whole week in Singapore engaging policymakers (former Deputy Prime Minister Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam and former Minister of Culture, Community and Youth Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien), business leaders and NGO leaders.
  • Participated in the Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) in Pulau Ubin!

Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) Associate Fellow

  • Selected as an Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society after my (failed) application for the Queen's Young Leaders Award.
  • Appointed as a member of the Literacy Working Group for the Asia.
  • Participated in high-level events in London including the Commonwealth Day 2020 in Westminister Abbey, Commonwealth Banquet 2020 and even a rare tour of Australia House!
Youth Advisor (ACTYVATE/Blue Ocean Youth Movement), Ministry of Finance Malaysia 
  • Selected as one of a dozen prominent youth activists, social entrepreneurs and CSO leaders by the Ministry of Finance for the Blue Ocean Youth Movement initiative called ACTYVATE.
  • ACTYVATE was a unique online crowd-pledging and -funding platform that allows young Malaysian to initiate strategic projects across Malaysia.
  • Involved in various engagements and outreach programmes to promote, onboard and support youth activists, SEs and NGOs for the platform.

World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Shaper

  • Selected as a Global Shaper with the Kuala Lumpur Hub from 2015 to 2020 -- and now officially an alumnus.
  • Conceived and organised the Global Shapers Speakers Series (SSS) which featured changemakers and NGOs in Malaysia.
  • Enjoyed connecting with Global Shapers from all over the world — and even had the chance to sit in in a Global Shapers London hub meeting!

AIESEC in Malaysia Supervisory Chair (2017-2021)

  • I'm actually not an AIESECer but was brought in as a member of the Supervisory Group (SG) for AIESEC in Malaysia in late 2016. Subsequently (probably due to making a lot of noise!), I was elected as SG Chair in 2017. 
  • I've had the absolute privilege of mentoring and reverse mentoring (i.e. learning from) the successive committees of AIESEC in Malaysia!
  • I've formally stepped down as the SG altogether in 2021 due to other commitments. But I still have the utmost respect for the work this global movement does for youth development!

Perdana Fellows Alumni Association (PFAA) Founding President (2013-2014)

  • Selected as an inaugural Perdana Fellow (akin to White House Fellow) to the former Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities from 2013 to 2014.
  • Founded the Perdana Fellows Alumni Association (similar to White House Fellows Foundation and Association) to build a changemakers from the network of Perdana Fellows to contribute to nation-building in Malaysia.
  • Secured the patronage of the Prime Minister, which has led to the successful continuation and institutionalisation of the Perdana Fellowship Programme despite the changes in government!

Toastmasters International Vice President Public Relations for Bangsar Club, Kuala Lumpur (2013-2014)

  • Grateful to be a member of the Toastmasters International — a global movement to improve public speaking and leadership.
  • Recognised as one of the youngest and fastest member to be elected in the executive committee of the Bangsar Club
  • Strengthened the established brand of Bangsar Toastmasters through social media, attracting up to 10 new guests in every meeting. Successfully won numerous awards – ‘Best Speaker’ – and represented the club for area and division contests!

Educational Background (to remind me I'm a nerd at heart)

London School of Economics and Political Science (2019-2020)

  • Course: MSc in International Strategy and Diplomacy (Distinction)
  • Top 3 of the class. My dissertation title was "Disrupted by AI? Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the U.S-China Arms Dynamics".
  • Modules include "Strategy in a Changing World", "Diplomacy and Its Challenges", and "Strategy In Action"; classes accompanied with simulations of diplomacy and negotiation conducted by ambassadors and practitioners.
  • Recipient of the Chevening Scholarship by the UK Government's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Monash University, Melbourne, Australia (2010-2012)

  • Course: BA in Arts in Political Science
  • Coursework included the international political economy, media studies, world politics, and policy analysis of trade agreements on emerging economies.
  • Student leader: National Deputy Chairperson (2012-2013) of Malaysian Students' Council of Australia (MASCA) and State Deputy Chairperson of MASCA Victoria (2011-2012).

Profile

Zaim Mohzani is the Co-Founder of Nation Building School, a social impact organisation dedicated to tackling youth unemployment. He is also the Co-Founder of the Malaysia Jobs Coalition, a coalition of CSOs fighting for full employment. Over the course of 10 years, Zaim has established three non-profit organisations that have impacted over 30,000 young people.

Zaim is the Director of External Relations of KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific (KSI), an internationally-ranked regional think tank based in Malaysia. He is the Secretary-General of the Society for the Promotion of Human Rights Malaysia (PROHAM).

Zaim has been selected for various fellowships and leadership programmes including Dalai Lama Fellows, Acumen Academy Fellowship, British Council Future Leaders Connect, World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers, U.S. Department of State YSEALI Professional Fellowship and ASEAN Youth Fellowship. He was appointed as an Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society. He was also the Founding Chairman of Impact Integrated (2018-2023), a government agency under the Ministry of Youth and Sports.​

Zaim holds an MSc in International Strategy and Diplomacy (Distinction) from the London School of Economics and Political Science (UK) and a BA in Political Science from Monash University (Australia). He was selected as a finalist for the British Council's UK Alumni Awards 2021-2022. As a Chevening scholar, Zaim has served as the President of Chevening Alumni Malaysia (2020-2022) and Co-Founder of the Chevening Alumni Southeast Asian Network (CASEAN).

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