Dr. Suraya Ismail

Suraya Ismail is the Director of Research at the Khazanah Research Institute (KRI), where she focuses on housing affordability and socioeconomic development in Malaysia. She is a member of the Malaysian Ministry of Housing and Local Government’s Panel of Experts, the National Costs of Living Council, and the National Council of Digital Economy. Suraya has been instrumental in shaping policies related to affordable housing, emphasising the importance of supply-side interventions to create a sustainable housing sector.

Before her current role, she was a Program Director at Think City, where she led urban regeneration initiatives in George Town, Penang. She has also held academic leadership positions, including serving as Deputy Dean of the Faculty of the Built Environment at the University of Malaya. Suraya has consulted internationally on urban development and holds a PhD in Institutional Economics and Governance from the University of Malaya, alongside qualifications from the University of Reading and University College London.

Additionally, she is a Visiting Scholar at the University of Cambridge. Suraya’s research and advocacy have significantly impacted Malaysia’s housing policies, steering attention toward systemic solutions for affordability and equitable urban development.