Dr. Sonia Kumari is Senior Lecturer at Department of Development Studies, Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Malaya. She holds PhD (Financial Development and Economic Growth, UNIMAS, Malaysia), MEcon (Public Policy, UKM, Malaysia) and BEc (Management Economics, UKM, Malaysia).  Her research expertise includes, Financial Development ; Financial Integration; Financial Inclusion; Sustainable Finance; Climate Finance; and Financial management of small businesses, with main focus on multidisciplinary themes related to emerging and developing economies. Her previous work experience includes: Associate Economist at the Central Bank of Malaysia (BNM) ; Visiting Research Fellow at Bocconi University, Milan, Italy; Visiting Research Fellow at Instituto Complutense de Estudios Internacionales (ICEI), Complutense University of Madrid, Spain; Lecturer at Help University, Malaysia.  She has taught several courses at Undergraduate level including:  Microfinance and Social Enterprise, Analysis of Development Projects, SME Development, Agriculture Business Management, Agriculture Development, Development Economics and Research Methodology (at University of Malaya); Principles of Business Management, Principles of Macroeconomics and Principles of Microeconomics (at Help University). Postgraduate courses: Sustainable Finance (Universiti Malaya).  She supervised over 50 UG projects including industrial placement projects (at University of Malaya); over 15 Masters Research Projects (at University of Malaya); and 1 Doctoral completion (current PhD supervision = 8).   Produced over 30 publications, including book chapters, articles in internationally refereed journals, policy briefs and reports. She has also reviewed several papers for journals and conferences.  She has led research projects on: "Financial Inclusion and Inclusive Growth" and "Government Supports And Food Operator's Performance In Klang Valley" (University Grant). She is also a co-researcher for projects such as "Role of Social Enterprise in Poverty Alleviation and Inclusive Development in Malaysia" (University Grants); Developing Environmental Reporting Framework for the Small and Medium Enterprises in Malaysia: Using Q-Methodological Approach" (FRGS, Government of Malaysia) and "Catching-up along the Global Value Chain: models, determinants and policy implications in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution" (European Commission Grant). She has research collaborative links in several countries including South Africa, China and Bangladesh.  She is an Associate Editor for Journal of Institutions and Economies.  

I am currently serving as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chinese Studies at Universiti Malaya. I completed my studies in Universiti Malaya (Bachelor Degree of Chinese Studies) and Peking University (Master Degree and Ph.D. of Chinese Philosophy). My research interests encompass Chinese philosophy and thought, with a particular focus on Daoism and Confucianism, the history of pre-Qin thought, the philology and hermeneutics of Chinese philosophy.

Dr. Nurul Shahnaz Ahmad Mahdzan is a Professor and served as the Head at the Department of Finance, Faculty of Business & Economics, University of Malaya from 2019-2023. She obtained her PhD from the Nottingham University Business School, UK; MBA (with Distinction) from the University of Malaya; and BBA (Finance) (Summa Cum Laude) from Ohio University, USA. Her research passion is in the area of Consumer Finances, particularly on the issues of financial behaviour and economic psychology of households - this includes their financial literacy, financial well-being, fintech adoption, financial attitudes, saving behaviour, investment risk-taking behaviour, and gullibility to financial fraud victimisation. She also has an interest in studies related to the financial services industry, particularly in insurance and risk management. Her current research project involves FinTech usage among millenials and the Gen X's and how this impacts financial well-being. Recently, she was invited as a Plenary Speaker at the National Financial Literacy Symposium (NFLS 2023) to share her views on the state of financial literacy and financial well-being among Malaysians. She has also appeared in numerous national TV, radio and print media where her views on personal finance and economic issues have been sought. She has been appointed as a panel of assessor for the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) research grants since year 2020 to date. Additionally, she has been invited to speak on several local industrial platforms on the topic of Consumer Finances. She has been invited as guest speaker at international symposiums and platforms that discuss financial and economic issues pertaining to the Malaysian context. Her deep interest and engagement in the area of Consumer Finances stems from her ten-year experience working in financial services, where she mainly dealt with consumers and their personal finances. It was then that her passion the area began and continues till today, as reflected in her research, publications and other activities.