The University of Nottingham conferred honorary degrees on YABhg Tun Dr Jeanne Abdullah, philanthropist, and Dato’ Dr Mohammad Faiz Azmi, Executive Chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Malaysia, at a graduation ceremony held on 23 July at Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC).
“We are delighted to confer honorary degrees on two truly outstanding individuals, each a leader in their respective fields of conservation advocacy and finance. They have contributed immensely to society and to the world of business and continue to do so with excellence and dedication,” said Professor Christine Ennew, CEO and Provost of UNMC, at the auspicious event.
YABhg Tun Dr Jeanne Abdullah
Tun Jeanne, the wife of the former Prime Minister of Malaysia Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, is the Chancellor of Open University Malaysia, Chairman of Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre, Executive Chairman of Sekretariat Malaysia Prihatin and Patron of Malaysian Paralympic Council.
She embarked on philanthropy after the retirement of her husband. Her mission includes the introduction of Hutan Kita, a reforestation programme which led to the development of Lankskap Malaysia an NGO which spread awareness to conserve the rainforest through education.
The Honourable Tun Dr Jeanne has also been recognised with the Highest Honour award from Soka Women’s College in Japan for her contributions towards family development, especially among Malaysian women.
Dato’ Dr Mohammad Faiz Azmi
Dato’ Dr Faiz is the Executive Chairman of PwC Malaysia and led PricewaterhouseCoopers Global Islamic Finance Team from 2007 to September 2012. He was also previously the Financial Services Leader and joint Head of Audit for Malaysia.
Dato’ Dr Faiz is the President of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants and a Council Member of the Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Previously, he was the Chairman of the Malaysia Accounting Standards Board, City Group Chairman and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
He holds a bachelors degree in law from the University of Durham, UK. He is also a Liveryman of the City of London, and a member of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Accountants England and Wales.
In 2013, he was conferred the Darjah Kebesaran Dato’, which carries the title Dato’, by the Sultan of Selangor.
The ceremony also witnessed the graduation of 911 undergraduate and postgraduate students from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Science at an event hosted by Professor Christine Ennew, and Professor Nick Miles, Pro Vice Chancellor for Advancement.
Also present at the ceremony was YABhg Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, former Prime Minister of Malaysia, YBhg Datin Faizah Bt Jamaluddin, spouse of Dato Dr Faiz Azmi, YBhg Professor Sayed Azam Ali, CEO of Crops for the Future Research Centre (CFFRC), YBhg Dato’ Zainal Abidin Haji Ahmad, Director of the UNim Board, YBhg Datin Paduka Dr Aini Ideris, Vice Chancellor Universiti Putra Malaysia, and Professor Stephen Doughty, Vice Provost (Teaching and Learning) at UNMC.
(Article image caption: (from left to right) Professor Nick Miles, YABhg Tun Dr Jeanne Abdullah, YABhg Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Professor Christine Ennew)
(Thumbnail image caption: (from left to right) Professor Lee Chew Ging, Professor Christine Ennew, Dato’ Dr Mohammad Faiz Azmi and Professor Nick Miles)
More information is available from Josephine Dionisappu, PR & Communications Manager at UNMC, on
+60 (3) 8924 8746, josephine.dionisappu@nottingham.edu.my.
-Ends-
Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham has 43,000 students and is ‘the nearest Britain has to a truly global university, with a “distinct” approach to internationalisation, which rests on those full-scale campuses in China and Malaysia, as well as a large presence in its home city.’ (Times Good University Guide 2016).
It is also one of the most popular universities in the UK among graduate employers and the winner of ‘Outstanding Support for Early Career Researchers’ at the Times Higher Education Awards 2015. More than 97% of research at The University of Nottingham is recognised internationally and it is 8th in the UK by research power according to the Research Excellence Framework 2014. It has been voted the world’s greenest campus for four years running, according to Greenmetrics Ranking of World Universities.
Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, its biggest-ever fundraising campaign, is delivering the University’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future.
Posted on 27th July 2016