🇲🇾 Public Policy Practitioner
💡 Gen Y Career Coach
💼 #ZeroYouthUnemployment
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.
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?)
My big hairy audacious goal is to empower 100,000 millennial professionals in Malaysia by 2030! When I saw empower, I mean to help them clarify their long-term goals & pivot into their dream jobs using design thinking principles.
At the same time, I am fighting for #ZeroYouthUnemployment through a Youth Job Guarantee (YJG). The idea is: If you want a job, you will be guaranteed a job with a decent salary and basic benefits. This will be a permanent scheme funded by federal government and administered locally by municipal councils. It will be open to all youths between 15 and 30 years offering jobs on demand. With a YJG, we can eliminates involuntary youth unemployment, reduce urban-rural gap (including migration to the cities) and contribute to higher economic growth. The idea can be read here.
Professional Roles (to pay the bills!)
Director of a Think Tank
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Director & Trustee of a Government Agency
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Gen Y Career Coach
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Civic Roles (to change the world!)
Nation Building School
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Malaysian Youth Diplomacy (MyDiplomacy)
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Future Leaders in Public Policy (FLIPP)
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Awards, Leadership Roles and Recognitions (to remind me of the mission!)
British Council Future Leaders Connect (2021)
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American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) Professional Fellow (2018)
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Youth Advisor (ACTYVATE/Blue Ocean Youth Movement), Ministry of Finance Malaysia
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Perdana Fellows Alumni Association (PFAA) Founding President (2013-2014)
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Toastmasters International Vice President Public Relations for Bangsar Club, Kuala Lumpur (2013-2014)
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Educational Background (to remind me I'm a nerd at heart)
London School of Economics and Political Science (2019-2020)
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Monash University, Melbourne, Australia (2010-2012)
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Profile
Zaim is a public policy professional with a vision to end youth unemployment in Malaysia through a youth job guarantee.
Zaim was appointed Chair of Impact Malaysia (under the Malaysian Ministry of Youth and Sports) in 2018 at the age of 28 – among the youngest appointments. Over the course of 10 years, he has established three non-profit organisations that have reached more than 30,000 young people in the country. Zaim also currently the External Affairs Director of KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific, an internationally recognised think tank.
Zaim has been selected as a Dalai Lama Fellow, an Acumen Academy Fellow, a British Council Future Leaders Connect member, a World Economic Forum Global Shaper, a U.S. Department of State YSEALI Professional Fellow, an Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society and an ASEAN Youth Fellow.
Zaim holds an MSc in International Strategy and Diplomacy (Distinction) from 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. He is a Chevening scholar and served as the President of Chevening Alumni Malaysia from 2020 to 2022.
Zaim was appointed Chair of Impact Malaysia (under the Malaysian Ministry of Youth and Sports) in 2018 at the age of 28 – among the youngest appointments. Over the course of 10 years, he has established three non-profit organisations that have reached more than 30,000 young people in the country. Zaim also currently the External Affairs Director of KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific, an internationally recognised think tank.
Zaim has been selected as a Dalai Lama Fellow, an Acumen Academy Fellow, a British Council Future Leaders Connect member, a World Economic Forum Global Shaper, a U.S. Department of State YSEALI Professional Fellow, an Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society and an ASEAN Youth Fellow.
Zaim holds an MSc in International Strategy and Diplomacy (Distinction) from 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. He is a Chevening scholar and served as the President of Chevening Alumni Malaysia from 2020 to 2022.