Datuk Seri (Dr) Michael Yam Kong Choy

A visionary doyen of multiple industries, YBhg Datuk Seri (Dr) Michael Yam Kong Choy, was appointed the Chancellor of UOW Malaysia on 15 August 2021.

YBhg Datuk Seri Yam has an illustrious career, spanning over 40 years, in the construction, real estate and corporate sectors, not only in Malaysia but also in the UK, South Africa and Australia. He had helmed two award winning public-listed property companies as Managing Director and CEO prior to his early retirement in 2008 and served in blue chip companies such as Landmarks Berhad, Peremba Malaysia, Country Heights Holdings Berhad and Sunrise Berhad in the past.

Soon after his retirement, he was appointed at various times onto the public listed company boards of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad, Paramount Corporation Berhad and Cahya Mata Sarawak Berhad as their senior independent non executive director while at the same time served as an independent director of Sunway Berhad, Standard Chartered Saadiq Bank and also Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia Berhad where he served the maximum tenure of 9 years permissible by Bank Negara from 2010-2019.

Currently he is the Chairman of InvestKL Corporation, a Government Investment Promotion Agency under MITI. He is also appointed the Chairman of Mercure Kuala Lumpur Glenmarie Hotel and several private investment holding companies such as Triterra Sdn Bhd and Metropolitan Lake Development Sdn Bhd.

YgBhg Datuk Seri Yam has racked up commendable achievements in the professional, philanthropic, non-governmental organisation and academic domains. He is the current President of the Chartered Institute of Building, a 188 year old global professional institution headquartered in UK with 48,000 members worldwide. He is a Past President and Patron of the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia, a Trustee of REHDA Institute and Standard Chartered Foundation. He was also recently appointed by the Government as the Champion of the Construction and Built Environment Productivity Nexus to transform the industry.

Datuk Seri Michael Yam graduated in Building and Management Studies from the University of Westminster and subsequently obtained his professional qualifications as a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building after gaining work experience in the UK. He was conferred a Fellowship of the Construction Industry Development Board in 2015 and an Honorary member of the Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents in 2017. He was voted Malaysia’s CEO of the Year 2002 and conferred the Honorary Doctorate in 2021 by the University of Heriot-Watt coinciding with its 200th year anniversary. In 2022, the Edge Malaysia awarded and recognised him for his outstanding contribution to the Real Estate Industry. An adjunct professor and a guest lecturer at the UTM and UTAR respectively, he lectures and speaks at many seminar and conferences both locally and abroad.

In recognition of his contribution to the economic development, well being and services to the community, he was conferred the Darjah Dato’ Seri Negeri Sembilan (DSNS) by DYMM Yang di-Pertua Besar of Negeri Sembilan in 2002 and the Darjah Seri Mahkota Wilayah (SMW)by DYMM Yang di-Pertuan Agong in 2011.