Malaysia doesn’t have a shortage of talented leaders. That’s the starting point for a new national leadership programme launched by YTL Foundation this year. What the country lacks, according to the people behind it, is enough leaders who can step outside their own institutions and work with people from entirely different worlds, government, business and civil society, toward the same goal.
That’s the gap the ilmu Fellowship is built to close. It’s an inaugural, ten-month programme bringing together 25 emerging leaders for a shared journey that includes retreats, coaching, peer learning and a four-day residential session at Oxford, where Fellows will examine cross-sector partnerships and international models for collaboration. Fellows won’t leave their day jobs to take part. Instead, they’ll carry what they learn straight back into their own organisations and communities as they go.
Who’s Behind It
The Fellowship is a partnership between YTL Foundation, the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford (Europe’s first major school dedicated to government and public policy), Acumen Inc., PEMANDU Associates and leadership coach Alvin Ung.
Fellows will work through themes including Malaysia’s social contract, Adaptive Leadership and Good Society Readings, a curated set of texts long used in YTL Foundation’s leadership work to prompt reflection on values and civic responsibility.
Government And Diplomatic Backing
The launch drew support from both Malaysian and British officials. Dato’ Seri Diraja Dr. Zambry Abd Kadir, Minister of Higher Education, framed the Fellowship as a direct response to the complexity Malaysia’s leaders now face, saying:
Malaysia’s future depends not only on strong institutions, but also on leaders with the character, integrity and courage to serve the common good – leaders who can work across sectors, bridge differences and think beyond short-term interests. – Dato’ Seri Diraja Dr. Zambry Abd Kadir, Minister of Higher Education
He called the ilmu Fellowship “an important initiative that invests in our future leaders by bringing together emerging talent from government, business and civil society to learn, collaborate and lead with purpose.”
His Excellency Ajay Sharma CMG, British High Commissioner to Malaysia, was also in attendance, situating the Fellowship within a longer-running UK-Malaysia relationship on education and leadership.
Investing in leadership is an investment in the future of every nation. The ilmu Fellowship brings together international expertise and local perspectives to prepare emerging leaders to navigate complexity and drive collaboration. – His Excellency Ajay Sharma CMG, British High Commissioner to Malaysia
He described it as a reflection of “the enduring partnership between the UK and Malaysia, in particular our shared commitment to supporting the development of talent in our countries,” adding that he had “no doubt that this fellowship will make a significant contribution to Malaysia’s future.”
Why Now?
Dato’ Kathleen Chew, Programme Director of YTL Foundation, explained the thinking behind the Fellowship’s design.
Malaysia has no shortage of talented leaders who want to make a meaningful difference. What Malaysia needs is a stronger pipeline of leaders who can bridge perspectives, foster collaboration and put the nation’s long-term interests above institutional boundaries. – Dato’ Kathleen Chew, Programme Director of YTL Foundation
The Fellowship, she explained, “was created with the belief that Malaysia’s future will depend not only on capable leaders within individual organisations, but on leaders who can work across sectors in service of the nation.”
Her hope, she added, is that it becomes “a long-term platform for nurturing principled leaders and building an enduring community committed to shaping a stronger, more resilient Malaysia for generations to come.”
The launch also featured a fireside chat, ‘Leading Well: The Leadership Malaysia Needs Next’, moderated by Leon Jala, Group Chief Executive Officer of PEMANDU Associates. He was joined by Tan Sri Datuk Nallini Pathmanathan, Chairperson of the Malaysia Media Council, Keeran Sivarajah, Partner at The Bridgespan Group, and Dato’ Hamdan Abdul Majeed, Managing Director of Think City, for a conversation on what leadership across sectors actually demands in practice.
How To Apply?
Nominations for the inaugural cohort close on 14 August 2026. Full details on the Fellowship and the nomination process are available at ilmufellowship.com.
The Fellowship is open to Malaysian leaders from government, business and civil society who are ready to lead with courage, clarity and integrity. Fellows may hold formal authority or lead through influence, but all share a commitment to serve the common good.
Those who meet this description, or know someone who does, are encouraged to submit a nomination at ilmufellowship.com ahead of the 14 August deadline.
