The letter of appointment was issued by the higher education ministry on Dec 10 in accordance with Section 17 (1) (a) of the University of Malaya Constitution (Chairman), the ministry said in a statement today.

A UM law alumnus, Zarinah is also a prominent corporate figure and has held several important positions, such as Petronas independent non-executive director, chairman of Malaysia Debt Ventures Bhd and member of the board of directors of Permodalan Nasional Bhd.

She has also served as chairman of the Securities Commission Malaysia and deputy chairman of Shell Malaysia.

She is currently a member of the board of trustees of the Razak School of Government, Yayasan Hasanah and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation.

“At the international level, she is an Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Fellow at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, UK, and a member of the board of advisers of the Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority, UAE,” the ministry added.

She is pro-chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and sits on the council of academic advisers of Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) and the National Women’s Advisory and Consultative Council.

“We hope Tan Sri Zarinah’s appointment as UM board chairman will help the university make a global impact,” said UM vice-chancellor Mohd Hamdi Abd Shukor of the first woman to be at the helm of the university.