Meet Our Team
Head Advisor
DATUK FADILLAH BAHARIN
Contribution in Halal Industries:Commonly known as Fadilah, she is a tenacious woman who has changed the way Malaysians see the world of standards, certification, testing, inspection, and accreditation. Her 14 years of remarkable contribution to the Nation during her endeavors as Director General of the Department of Standards Malaysia under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, a Federal Government of Malaysia, played a critical role in positioning the country's competitiveness, capabilities, and potential on a global scale including the Nation’s Halal agenda. Most notable, she successfully developed the first global halal standard, MS 1500 entitled “Halal Food - Production, Preparation, Handling and Storage - General Guidelines” that is currently being used everywhere in the world apart from Malaysia. This has led her to be conferred as the Tokoh Maulidul Rasul by the DYMM SPB YDP Agong in 2016.Fadilah is credited with strengthening dialogue between regulators and industries, introducing standards in previously unregulated sectors, promoting strategic collaboration, and cultivating integrity and trust for ordinary people. She is known for pushing the boundaries of innovation. Her active involvement at regional levels of ASEAN and APEC as well as at international levels of ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation), IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission), IAF (International Accreditation Forum), ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation), and WTO/TBT (World Trade Organisation - Technical Barriers to Trade) has placed her to become a member in the prestigious international policy forum ie the ISO Council for the terms 2013 - 2015 and 2017 – 2019. She also sat as a member of the ISO Advisory Group to the Chair of a Policy Committee for Developing Countries.In 2013, she was listed as one of the 26 women CEOs from the global ISO’s National Bodies to speak boldly about the role of women in standardisation (ref https://www.iso.org/news/2013/03/Ref1722.html). In 2013, she was also conferred by the Prime Minister of Malaysia as a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences (ASM) carrying the lifetime tittle FASc.In October 2020, Fadilah published a book “Championing Standards of Excellence” (ISBN 978-967-18555-0-8), an inaugural Malaysian story of standards development (including a chapter on halal) and its impact on raising international competitiveness. It was successfully launched by ISO on 20 Oct 2020 via a zoom session. Since then, more than 700 copies have been sold to 11 countries and they are still selling.Advisor
EN OTHMAN BIN MD YUSOFF
(Industry Advisor)
Working Experiences:Began career in Penang as a private school teacher in 1986 and later became an administrative officer at Bukit Mertajam District Hospital in 1987.Joined Nestlé Manufacturing Malaysia in 1988 as Production Supervisor for noodles and culinary products at Nestlé Batu Tiga Factory. Seconded to Nestlé R&D Center Kempthall, Switzerland in 1995 as Project Manager and then to the global Head office in Vevey, Switzerland as Technical Advisor for noodles, pasta & culinary products. Extended technical advice and assistance for Nestlé factories in Turkey, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Czech & Slovak Republic, France and Germany among others. Established a guideline for intermarket supply of Halal products for Nestlé global in 1997 which has evolved into Nestlé internal Halal standard.Back to Nestlé Malaysia in 1998 as Product Technology Manager for noodles, culinary products and then for liquid drinks. Entrusted as the Chairman of Nestlé Halal Committee in 2004 and moved to Regulatory Department as Regulatory Manager. In 2012 established and headed the Department of Halal Affairs for Nestlé Malaysia which is recognized as the Halal Centre of Excellence for Nestlé global. Contribution in Halal Industries:More than 30 years of experience in the halal industry starting as a committee member for Nestlé Halal Committee in 1992.In 2004, was entrusted with the responsibility as the Chairman of Nestlé Halal Committee while holding position as Regulatory Affairs Manager. Established Halal Assurance System (HAS) for Nestlé Malaysia in 2008.Actively involved in collaborations with relevant government agencies, fellow industries and local universities in creating and driving Halal initiatives to establish Malaysia as the global hub for Halal. In 2002, became a member of the technical committee led by JAKIM to establish and review Malaysia Halal Standards.Founded the Halal Committee for Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) in 2011 and was entrusted chairman for the committee until 2023.Awarded the “Anugerah MAULIDUR RASUL SAW” in 2015 as appreciation on the halal work contributed to the country. Appointed as a member of the Malaysia Halal Professional Board in 2016 and a panel member of the advisory council for the Malaysian Halal certification until 2023.Other contribution included being chairman of technical working committee for NOSS (National Occupational Skills Standard) for food manufacturing, member of technical committee in HDC (Halal Development Corporation), facilitated SME Mentoring Team (collaboration between Nestlé, HDC and SME Corp), member of IHIA (International Halal Integrity Alliance), member of Food Safety Committee led by MOH and industry panel for several local universities in Malaysia such as UPM, UITM, IIUM and USIM.Promoted Halal Malaysia nationwide and at the global platform through sharing of experiences and presented papers in various forums and seminars globally, among which are at World Halal Forum Kuala Lumpur, Brunei Halal Forum, Philippines National Halal Convention, Halal Conference Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur Islamic Finance Summit, Halal Forum Europe in Brussels, Traders Conference Dubai, WIEF/AFF Conference Tokyo, Korean Halal Conference, HFCE-EU Halal Conference among others.
EN MOHAMAD ZAMRI MOHAMED SHAPIK
(Governance Advisor)
Mohamad Zamri bin Mohamed Shapik is a highly experienced senior officer in the field of
halal, serving under the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM). He
previously held the prominent position of Director of the Halal Management Division before
his appointment as the Director of the Malaysian Halal Council Secretariat (SMHM) on 15
August 2022.
A steadfast advocate of the Halalan Tayyiban concept, he has spearheaded impactful
initiatives like the Studio Halal platform to raise public awareness of halal principles. His
leadership and strategic collaboration skills have positioned Malaysia as a key player in the
global halal industry.
Mohamad Zamri is a regular representative of JAKIM at significant events such as the
Selangor International Halal Convention 2024, solidifying Malaysia’s role as a global halal
hub. With exceptional leadership and an in-depth understanding of halal standards, he plays
a critical role in the development of halal guidelines and enhancing public trust in Malaysia’s
halal certification.
Mohamad Zamri's strengths lie in his expertise in halal certification-related policy in
Malaysia, which serve as a crucial foundation for the nation’s halal industry. He exhibits
exceptional strategic leadership in driving large-scale halal projects and initiatives, including
innovative programs that uphold the principles of Halalan Tayyiban. Furthermore, his
dynamic communication skills make him a sought-after speaker at national and
international events, solidifying Malaysia’s influence in the global halal sphere. His
unwavering commitment to the Halalan Tayyiban concept underpins every strategy and
initiative he undertakes, further enhancing the integrity and credibility of Malaysia’s halal
certification on the global stage.
DR MUHAMMAD AIZAT BIN ZAINAL ALAM
(Economic Advisor)
Dr. Muhammad Aizat bin Zainal Alam currently serves as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Malaya in the Department of Economics, Faculty of Business and Economics.
Dr. Aizat completed his Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science at Universiti Teknologi MARA in 2015, followed by a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Malaya in 2019, where his research centred on financial preparedness for retirement. He further advanced his studies by obtaining a PhD in Economics from the University of Malaya in 2023, conducting significant research on retirement behaviour using machine learning techniques.
His research primarily revolves around behavioural economics, with a keen interest in financial literacy, retirement planning, and social protection. Notable publications include "Predicting Savings Adequacy Using Machine Learning: A Behavioural Economics Approach" (2022), "Mental Accounting and Savings Behavior: Evidence from Machine Learning Method" (2023), and "A Behavioural Economics Approach to Assessing Formation of Financial Literacy: A Conceptual Framework" (2021).These studies have contributed to the academic discourse on financial behaviours and have been published in reputable journals.
In addition to his academic endeavours, Dr. Aizat is a Research Associate at the Social Wellbeing Research Centre, where he has been involved in impactful projects related to ageing, retirement planning, and the economic and social implications of an ageing society. His contributions at the SWRC align with his commitment to addressing issues of social welfare and enhancing public understanding of financial and social preparedness for later life.
Before his academic career, Dr. Aizat worked as a Senior Executive at the Securities Commission Malaysia from 2015 to 2020, where he was involved in researching capital market regulations and developing guidelines to enhance the domestic capital market's competitiveness. In addition to his teaching and research roles, he serves as an Associate Editor for the Institutions & Economies journal, contributing to the scholarly community by overseeing the publication process and ensuring high-quality research dissemination.
Dr. Aizat is skilled in business writing, research methodologies, and policy-making. He holds certifications in machine learning applications and has developed a personal teaching philosophy aimed at enhancing higher education experiences.
