Designed to strengthen national leadership, the YTL Foundation’s newly launched ilmu Fellowship aims to bring together emerging leaders from government, business and civil society to help shape a more resilient Malaysia.
What sets the fellowship apart is that over the 10 months, participants will experience a leadership journey shaped by international best practices and grounded in Malaysia's social and institutional context.
The programme was developed alongside the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford, Acumen Academy Malaysia, PEMANDU Associates and leadership coach Alvin Ung.
25 fellows, one shared vision
Twenty-five emerging leaders will embark on a leadership journey exploring themes such as Malaysia's social contract, Adaptive Leadership and Good Society Readings. The programme will culminate in a four-day residential programme at the University of Oxford, where participants will gain fresh insights into cross-sector collaboration and global best practices.
Building a pipeline of national leaders
YTL Foundation Programme Director Dato' Kathleen Chew emphasised the need for leaders to develop not only technical capabilities, but also inner resilience, empathy and a strong sense of purpose as societies become increasingly divided, trust declines and rapid technological advances, including artificial intelligence and social media, reshape the leadership landscape.
“I believe this is a time when we really need to examine ourselves as a nation. We must ask what it will take to move forward, to stand united, and to rebuild trust in one another,” she said.
“Because of the importance of this moment, I truly feel the fellowship is essential for our nation.”
The YTL Foundation aims to cultivate at least 250 values-driven leaders over the next decade through the ilmu Fellowship, with the hope that its alumni will eventually lead key national institutions and champion a culture of integrity, trust and cross-sector collaboration.
Kathleen Chew emphasised that the programme is focused on creating long-term impact rather than pursuing quick fixes.
“Selecting 25 participants a year means that in a decade, we will have roughly 250 alumni who may well be leading government ministries as secretaries-general, heading departments as directors-general, or running major corporations,” she said.
Bridging sectors
On the fellowship’s strategic partnerships, she said each institution would bring a distinct area of expertise to the initiative.
Under the partnership, Acumen Academy will lead the Good Society Readings module, while Tan Sri Idris Jala’s firm, PEMANDU Associates, will focus on adaptive leadership.
The Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford will provide insights into global cross-sector collaboration, while leadership coach Alvin Ung will offer ongoing mentorship throughout the 10-month journey.
According to Kathleen Chew, the idea for the ilmu Fellowship grew out of YTL Foundation’s six-year experience running the Acumen Fellowship.
While the previous programme successfully developed social entrepreneurs, she said a gap remained between the public, private and civil society sectors that needed to be bridged.
“We want leaders from different sectors to sit at the same table, understand one another’s challenges, and see themselves as partners rather than adversaries. When the private and public sectors understand each other’s perspectives, discussions become deeper and better solutions can be reached,” she added.
Supporting the initiative, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said Malaysia needed leaders anchored in integrity, character and a commitment to the common good.
The launch also featured a panel discussion, Leading Well: The Leadership Malaysia Needs Next, which explored key leadership challenges.
The discussion brought together Malaysia Media Council Chairman Datuk Nallini Pathmanathan, Think City Managing Director Hamdan Abdul Majeed and Bridgespan Group representative Keeran Sivarajah, and was moderated by PEMANDU Associates group Chief Executive Officer Leon Jala.
Ready to help shape Malaysia’s next chapter? Applications for the ilmu Fellowship are open until August 14, 2026. Learn more and apply at ilmu Fellowship.
