SYNOPSIS

Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz has had an exemplary career with outstanding achievements and a series of recognition. During her career as a politician and later in the corporate world, she has had many interactions with Engineers. She has colleagues and she is familiar with other political leaders and corporate leaders, both local and international, who had an engineering background. She will recall her experiences and share with us her perceptions and how she values Engineers, Engineering skills and knowledge and their contributions towards the development of Malaysia and the world. Has Engineers “been cool” in her experience?

In the corporate world, she will share with us on the pathways to being successful. Can engineers with the engineering education and training make it in the corporate world? How has such individuals been successful in climbing the corporate ladder? Has their technical and “making sure things are right first time”- engineering approaches towards problem solving been a contributory factor towards good decision making for a corporation?

Tan Sri will also share her views on successful women in the corporate world and lend advice to the women engineers who form almost 40% of our graduate/corporate membership. What about start-ups for engineering graduates and engineers, who wish to be entrepreneurs? What is Tan Sri’s advice for start ups and the path towards their growth?

We welcome all suggestions for questions/topics to be discussed during the forum that you think are relevant to the theme. Please e-mail your suggestions to roselein@iem.org.my    


About The Speaker

Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz currently serves as the Non-Executive Independent Chairman and Director of AirAsia X since March 3, 2011. She is also the Chairman of Supermax Corporation Berhad since June 16, 2015. Tan Sri Rafidah also had experience lecturing at the faculty of Economics and Administration at the University of Malaya. She started her career as a tutor and lecturer in the Faculty of Economics, University of Malaya from 1966 to 1976. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics in 1966 and a master's degree in Economics in 1970, both from the same university.

Tan Sri Rafidah was an active member in the Malaysian political scene, having previously been appointed as a Member of the Malaysian Parliament. She was appointed as Senator in 1974 and resigned to contest in the General Elections in 1978. She served as Member of Parliament in the Selayang Constituency (from 1978 to 1982) and Kuala Kangsar Constituency (from 1982 to 2013). She served in the UMNO Supreme Council for 38 years since winning a seat in the council in 1975. She is Malaysia's longest-serving Minister of International Trade and Industry, having served in that capacity from 1987 to 2008. Previously, she also holds the portfolio of Minister of Public Enterprises from 1980 to 1987 and Deputy Minister of Finance from 1977 to 1980. In 1976, she was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Public Enterprises.