Leadership & Governance
Driving progress and fostering
innovation ethically and responsibly.
Meet Our Visionary Leaders and Management Team.
At the heart of our institution lies a dynamic and accomplished Leadership and Management Team, focused on charting the path towards educational excellence within the realm of open distance learning.
Leadership
Chancellor
Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja’afar
On 1 August 2019, Tunku Imran was officially installed as the fourth Chancellor of WOU, following approval by the WOU Board of Governors on 10 December 2018.
With a LLB (Hons) from the University of Nottingham, Tunku Imran is a Barrister-At-Law (Gray’s Inn). He first held positions at Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (PERNAS) as its representative in Indonesia and then as the Group Company Secretary. He then joined the Haw Par Group in 1973 and was the Managing Director of Haw Par Malaysia until 1976. In 1977, he founded and became the Chief Executive Officer of the Antah Group of Companies until 2001. Currently, he serves as the Executive Chairman of Syarikat Pesaka Antah Sdn Bhd.
Active in many sports, Tunku Imran represented Malaysia in squash and cricket in the 1970s. He then excelled in sports administration, having led the Malaysian Cricket Association (1991 – 2011), the Squash Rackets Association of Malaysia (1978 – 1989) and the World Squash Federation (1989 – 1996) during which he nurtured several world-class Malaysian players. He also played a crucial role in Malaysia’s hosting of the XVI Commonwealth Games 1998. As a long-standing President of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (1998 – 2018), he has also served on the International Olympic Committees since 2006.
Tunku Imran has keen interest in education, heritage and strategic studies. He served on the Board of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia (1985 – 2017) and as the Past President of Badan Warisan Malaysia (Heritage of Malaysia Trust). He is currently the Chairman of Yayasan Sime Darby since 2019. He is also a Member of the Board of Trustees of Tunku Ja’afar College since 1991.
Pro-Chancellor
Tan Sri Dato’ Chang Ko Youn
The WOU Board of Governors approved the appointment of Tan Sri Dato’ Chang Ko Youn as the Pro-Chancellor on 18 November 2024.
Tan Sri Chang obtained his Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from the University of Hull, England in 1981, was admitted as a Barrister-At-Law by Lincoln’s Inn, London the same year, and called to the Malaysian Bar in 1983.
A practising lawyer, Tan Sri Chang is a prominent leader with extensive experience in government administration, having served as a Councillor in the Kuala Kangsar District Council, Perak (1987 – 1995) and as an elected State Legislator and an Executive Councillor in the Perak State Government (1995 – 2008), holding various portfolios such as urban development, local government and administration, consumer affairs and inflation control, public transport system, etc. He was then appointed as the Advisor to the Menteri Besar of Perak (2009 – 2013).
Tan Sri Chang is presently the Chairman of Yayasan Penjaja dan Peniaga Kecil Malaysia, a micro-credit organisation funded by the Ministry of Finance Malaysia to assist hawkers and petty traders since 2015. He is also a member of the Board of Governors of the Perak Academy since 2022, and an Honourable Citizen of Nanning City, Guangxi Province, China, since 2005.
He joined Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (PGRM) in 1984 and held various positions in the party, rising to be the Deputy President (2008 – 2013) and subsequently appointed as the party’s National Adviser, serving until 2018, after which he no longer holds any political post.
Chief Executive & Vice Chancellor
Professor Dr Lily Chan
Professor Dr Lily Chan became the fourth VC and Chief Executive for WOU when she assumed the role on 29 April 2019. Professor Chan has over 35 years of leadership experience in the triple helix sphere of academia, industry and government. She holds a PhD (Microbiology & Immunology) from the University of Illinois, Chicago, which she pursued under full scholarship, and a BA (Hons) in Biology from Agnes Scott College, Atlanta, Georgia.
Professor Chan’s professional journey includes having served as the Chief Executive of NUS (National University of Singapore) Enterprise where she nurtured hundreds of tech startups and helped build a successful higher education entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Prior to that, she was the Managing Director of Investments, of Bio*O Capital Pte Ltd as well as the General Manager (Singapore) and Director of Product Development (USA) for Genelabs Diagnostics Pte Ltd, Singapore.
Additionally, the Singaporean government also honoured Professor Chan with the Public Administration Medal (Silver).
Chairman, Board of Governors
Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon
Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon took office as WOU’s Chairman of the Board of Governors on 1 March 2017. With a first degree in Physics from Princeton, Tan Sri Dr Koh received his MA and PhD in comparative education from the University of Chicago and was also a Fulbright Scholar at Stanford University. He started his career as a lecturer and later ventured into politics.
In his capacity as Penang’s Chief Minister, Dr Koh spearheaded the island’s industrial revolution, steering Penang’s economy toward high-tech, high-value development and design. He also fervently championed youth development, sports, education, and skill-building. He was also instrumental to the preparation of George Town for the UNESCO World Heritage Listing.
Academic Leadership
Chief Executive & Vice Chancellor
Professor Dr Lily Chan
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic)
Professor Ts Dr Yap Eng Hwa
Executive Dean of School of Business and Administration
Associate Professor Dr Gary Tan Peng Liang
Registrar
Pn Mazlifah binti Mohiyaddin
Dean of School of Technology and Engineering Science
Associate Professor Ts Dr Sean Tan Koon Tatt
Dean of School of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences
Professor Dr Anna Christina binti Abdullah
Director of Centre for ODL Experiences (COLE)
Associate Professor Dr Dewi binti Amat Sapuan
Dean of School of Digital Technology
Associate Professor Ts Dr Andrew Tan Kian Lam
Head of Centre for Foundation Studies
Mr Prakash V Arumugam
Dean of School of Graduate Studies
Associate Professor Dr Lee Heng Wei
Board of Directors
Dato’ Seri Stephen Yeap Leong Huat
Chairman, Heng Lee Group of Companies
A prominent banker, company director, philanthropist and trustee of the Yeap Chor Ee Charitable Trust and former chairman of the Wawasan Education Foundation.
Executive Chairman of Heng Lee & Company Sdn Bhd, a Penang-based group with diversified interests in education, property development, investment holding, sports complex operations, credit financing, warehousing and investments.
Dato’ Seri Stephen is the Chairman of Wawasan Open University Sdn Bhd and Deputy Chairman of Wawasan Education Foundation, an established not-for-profit education foundation based in Penang. He is also the Founder and Executive Advisor to the Penang Chinese Clan Council.
Previous directorships in public listed companies included CIMB Bank and Island & Peninsular Bhd.
Ms Janice Yeap Liew Kee
(Alternate Director to Dato Sri Stephen Yeap Leong Huat)
Chief Executive Officer, Heng Lee Group of Companies
She is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Heng Lee Group of Companies, a position she has held since 2018.
She has extensive experiences in the financial services sector that include being the former Director of Private Equity at CIMB Investment Bank and before that she was the Director of Group Strategy at the same bank. She has also served as Vice President of Group Insurance at CIMB Bank, and Senior Manager of Southern Bank Berhad.
She holds a Bachelor of Finance from the University of New South Wales, Australia.
Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon
Chairman, Board of Governors, Wawasan Open University
Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon took office as WOU’s Chairman of the Board of Governors on 1 March 2017. With a first degree in Physics from Princeton, Tan Sri Dr Koh received his MA and PhD in comparative education from the University of Chicago and was also a Fulbright Scholar at Stanford University. He started his career as a lecturer and later ventured into politics.
In his capacity as Penang’s Chief Minister, Dr Koh spearheaded the island’s industrial revolution, steering Penang’s economy toward high-tech, high-value development and design. He also fervently championed youth development, sports, education, and skill-building. He was also instrumental to the preparation of George Town for the UNESCO World Heritage Listing.
Tan Sri Andrew Sheng Len Tao
Chairman, George Town Institute of Open and Advanced Studies (GIOAS)
Tan Sri Sheng is a former banker and financial regulator in Asia and a commentator on global finance. He has a First Class Honours in Economics from Bristol University, and Honorary Doctorates of Law from University of Bristol, UK and University of Malaya.
He is currently the Chairman of WOU’s George Town Institute of Open and Advanced Studies (GIOAS), a Professor of Practice at WOU’s School of Business and Administration (SBA), a Distinguished Fellow of Asia Global Institute, the University of Hong Kong, and a Distinguished Fellow of the Institute for Capital Market Research Malaysia (ICMR).
Tan Sri Sheng is presently also the Chairman of the Wawasan Education Foundation.
Datuk Lim Si Pin
Former Chief Executive Officer/Director Cempaka Sdn Bhd
Currently, Datuk Lim serves as Director for both the Wawasan Education Foundation’s and Wawasan Open University Sdn Bhd
He holds a BSc (Joint Honours) in Law & Economics from the University College of Wales (UCW), Aberystwyth, Wales, UK, and an MSc (International Banking & Finance) from the University of Wales, College of Cardiff (UWCC), Wales, UK.
His professional experience includes holding the positions of Director/CEO at Cempaka Sdn Bhd, Director at Eight-Tel Sdn Bhd, and Director at CPMS Sdn Bhd.
Emeritus Professor Dato Dr Hassan Said
Chairman, Board of Governors, Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN)
Professor Hassan has a wealth of knowledge from both public and private universities namely Vice Chancellor and President: Taylor’s University, Vice Chancellor: University Teknologi MARA and Vice Chancellor: Asia e-University.
He began his career at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) as a Mathematics instructor and was later named Dean of the School of Mathematics and then the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic). He has also worked with the Ministry of Education (MOE) as the Director, Department of Higher Education. He later held the position of Director-General of Higher Education, Ministry of Higher Education.
He is currently Chairman on the Board of Governors, Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN); member of the Board of Governors, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM); member of the Board of Directors, Usains Holding Sdn Bhd; Council Member, Taylor’s University; Independent Non-Executive Director of AwanBiru Technology Berhad (Awantech); Education Committee’s Member, Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP); and member of the Board of Directors, Securities Industry Development Corporation (SIDC), Securities Commission Malaysia (SC).
Mr Chia Loong Thye
Partner, RDS Advocates & Solicitors
Mr Chia is a lawyer by profession. He obtained his LLB from University of Warwick, England in 1982 and his Barrister-at-law from Gray’s Inn, London. He was called to the English Bar in 1983 and was admitted to the Malaysian Bar in March 1985. He is also a qualified mediator and an adjudicator.
Mr Chia has been involved in a number of non-governmental organisations and currently, he is a member of the Penang Philharmonic Orchestra Management Board.
Ms Annie Khor Seow Keow
Former Chief Information Officer,
Schenker Logistics (M) Sdn Bhd
Holds a Master in Business Administration (Information Systems) and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Business Chemistry (Magna cum Laude) from Northern Illinois University, USA.
She also holds a Diploma in Logistics Management from the Australian Institute of Management and is a lay examiner for the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
She began work as an information consultant with Arthur Andersen Sdn Bhd (now known as Accenture Sdn Bhd) before moving on to the banking and logistics industry.
She is now retired after having spent more than 35 years in Information Technology with more than 20 years in leadership positions in Information Technology and business functions.
Board of Governors
Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon
Chairman, Board of Governors, Wawasan Open University
Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon took office as WOU’s Chairman of the Board of Governors on 1 March 2017. With a first degree in Physics from Princeton, Tan Sri Dr Koh received his MA and PhD in comparative education from the University of Chicago and was also a Fulbright Scholar at Stanford University. He started his career as a lecturer and later ventured into politics.
In his capacity as Penang’s Chief Minister, Dr Koh spearheaded the island’s industrial revolution, steering Penang’s economy toward high-tech, high-value development and design. He also fervently championed youth development, sports, education, and skill-building. He was also instrumental to the preparation of George Town for the UNESCO World Heritage Listing.
Dato’ Seri Stephen Yeap Leong Huat
Chairman, Heng Lee Group of Companies
A prominent banker, company director, philanthropist and trustee of the Yeap Chor Ee Charitable Trust and former chairman of the Wawasan Education Foundation.
Executive Chairman of Heng Lee & Company Sdn Bhd, a Penang-based group with diversified interests in education, property development, investment holding, sports complex operations, credit financing, warehousing and investments.
Dato’ Seri Stephen is the Chairman of Wawasan Open University Sdn Bhd and Deputy Chairman of Wawasan Education Foundation, an established not-for-profit education foundation based in Penang. He is also the Founder and Executive Advisor to the Penang Chinese Clan Council.
Previous directorships in public listed companies included CIMB Bank and Island & Peninsular Bhd.
Tan Sri Andrew Sheng Len Tao
Chairman, George Town Institute of Open and Advanced Studies (GIOAS)
Tan Sri Sheng is a former banker and financial regulator in Asia and a commentator on global finance. He has a First Class Honours in Economics from Bristol University, and Honorary Doctorates of Law from University of Bristol, UK and University of Malaya.
He is currently the Chairman of WOU’s George Town Institute of Open and Advanced Studies (GIOAS), a Professor of Practice at WOU’s School of Business and Administration (SBA), a Distinguished Fellow of Asia Global Institute, the University of Hong Kong, and a Distinguished Fellow of the Institute for Capital Market Research Malaysia (ICMR).
Tan Sri Sheng is presently also the Chairman of the Wawasan Education Foundation.
Datuk Lim Si Pin
Former Chief Executive Officer/Director Cempaka Sdn Bhd
Currently, Datuk Lim serves as Director for both the Wawasan Education Foundation’s and Wawasan Open University Sdn Bhd
He holds a BSc (Joint Honours) in Law & Economics from the University College of Wales (UCW), Aberystwyth, Wales, UK, and an MSc (International Banking & Finance) from the University of Wales, College of Cardiff (UWCC), Wales, UK.
His professional experience includes holding the positions of Director/CEO at Cempaka Sdn Bhd, Director at Eight-Tel Sdn Bhd, and Director at CPMS Sdn Bhd.
Emeritus Professor Dato Dr Hassan Said
Chairman, Board of Governors, Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN)
Professor Hassan has a wealth of knowledge from both public and private universities namely Vice Chancellor and President: Taylor’s University, Vice Chancellor: University Teknologi MARA and Vice Chancellor: Asia e-University.
He began his career at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) as a Mathematics instructor and was later named Dean of the School of Mathematics and then the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic). He has also worked with the Ministry of Education (MOE) as the Director, Department of Higher Education. He later held the position of Director-General of Higher Education, Ministry of Higher Education.
He is currently Chairman on the Board of Governors, Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN); member of the Board of Governors, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM); member of the Board of Directors, Usains Holding Sdn Bhd; Council Member, Taylor’s University; Independent Non-Executive Director of AwanBiru Technology Berhad (Awantech); Education Committee’s Member, Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP); and member of the Board of Directors, Securities Industry Development Corporation (SIDC), Securities Commission Malaysia (SC).
Mr Chia Loong Thye
Partner, RDS Advocates & Solicitors
Mr Chia is a lawyer by profession. He obtained his LLB from University of Warwick, England in 1982 and his Barrister-at-law from Gray’s Inn, London. He was called to the English Bar in 1983 and was admitted to the Malaysian Bar in March 1985. He is also a qualified mediator and an adjudicator.
Mr Chia has been involved in a number of non-governmental organisations and currently, he is a member of the Penang Philharmonic Orchestra Management Board.
Ms Annie Khor Seow Keow
Former Chief Information Officer,
Schenker Logistics (M) Sdn Bhd
Holds a Master in Business Administration (Information Systems) and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Business Chemistry (Magna cum Laude) from Northern Illinois University, USA.
She also holds a Diploma in Logistics Management from the Australian Institute of Management and is a lay examiner for the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
She began work as an information consultant with Arthur Andersen Sdn Bhd (now known as Accenture Sdn Bhd) before moving on to the banking and logistics industry.
She is now retired after having spent more than 35 years in Information Technology with more than 20 years in leadership positions in Information Technology and business functions.
Professor Dr Lily Chan
Chief Executive and Vice Chancellor, Wawasan Open University
Professor Dr Lily Chan became the fourth VC and Chief Executive for WOU when she assumed the role on 29 April 2019. Professor Chan has over 35 years of leadership experience in the triple helix sphere of academia, industry and government. She holds a PhD (Microbiology & Immunology) from the University of Illinois, Chicago, which she pursued under full scholarship, and a BA (Hons) in Biology from Agnes Scott College, Atlanta, Georgia.
Professor Chan’s professional journey includes having served as the Chief Executive of NUS (National University of Singapore) Enterprise where she nurtured hundreds of tech startups and helped build a successful higher education entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Prior to that, she was the Managing Director of Investments, of Bio*O Capital Pte Ltd as well as the General Manager (Singapore) and Director of Product Development (USA) for Genelabs Diagnostics Pte Ltd, Singapore.
Additionally, the Singaporean government also honoured Professor Chan with the Public Administration Medal (Silver).