Marlenny Deenerwan holds a PhD in Theatre Performance from Monash University, Australia (2016), a Master of Arts (2011) and a Bachelor of Performing Arts in Drama (2007) from Universiti Malaya and a Diploma in Creative Writing from the National Arts Academy, now known as ASWARA (2002).  Before entering the academic world, she was a teacher at SM Shan Tao Kota Kinabalu Sabah and worked as a sub-editor at Daily Express Sabah. As an academic, her research is in the field of Malaysian traditional and ritual theatre: Bobolian rituals in Sabah, the traditional theatre of Wayang Kulit, Makyong and Bangsawan, research on the Minang community in Kuala Lumpur and the Kaul event of the Melanau community in Mukah. Her most recent research focused on the development of interactive theatre as an alternative to teaching and learning in primary school. This project started in 2017 in a rural school in SK Pekan Ranau, Sabah under the UMRG grant and was further developed into a DraFDidik module. This is a teaching and learning method using drama/theatre for passive children that was tested in five primary schools in the Klang Valley in 2023, funded by a UMCares grant. In November 2023, Marlenny won Silver Award in International Education Innovation Expo 2023 through the project DraFDidik. Marlenny has been a creative writer since 1999 and has published over 20 scripts for modern stage dramas and adaptations (Nur, Dari M ke M, Rumah Lama Kampung Baru, Melati & Melur, YB Jee, Lina & Lijah, No Smoking Please, Lima Bersaudara, Anak Raja Anak Papa, Zhao Si Anak Yatim, Hikayat Si Miskin Menjadi Raja, Elyas Emas, Perempuan-Perempuan Kampong Bharu, Transit Borneo-Malaya etc.), dozens of TV dramas since 2003 (Haryati II, Dilema Wanita, Kasihnya Di Bawah Bayu, Igauan Semalam, etc.). She also writes documentaries, television commercials, newspaper articles/critiques, short stories, poems and song lyrics. She has worked as an actress, director and theatre producer since 1998. Her directing credits include Rumah Lama Kampung Baru, Melati & Melur, No Smoking Please, Rachel Corrie, The Glass Menageries, The Zoo Story, Bangsawan Anak Raja Anak Papa (The Prince and The Pauper), Zhao Si Anak Yatim, Asiah Samiah, Hikayat Si Miskin Menjadi Raja, Bangku, Saya... Dari Hujung Kota, Transit Borneo-Malaya, Wanita dan Senjatanya and Sirih Bertepuk Pinang Menari. She co-founded the theater group Mekar Budaya in 2002 as well as the group Bangsawan Opera Sri Bandaraya under the patronage of Kuala Lumpur City Hall in 2008. She won the Best Actress Award at the Malaysian Theater Festival 2003, the Best Director Award at the Kuala Lumpur Theater Festival 2009 and was awarded the Young Theater Artist Award by the Selangor State Government in 2010. Her Bangsawan script Lima Bersaudara was recorded in the Malaysia Book of Record as the first bangsawan for children in 2010. She was appointed by the National Ministry of Culture and Arts as the Head of Jury for the 2016 Malaysian Theater Festival. She was the Head of Jury for the Universiti Malaya (Kaviter UM) Theater Carnival from 2017 to 2024.  Marlenny has published a book titled "Bobolian Seni Teater Etnik Dusun" (2015, JKKN), "Siri Teater Muzikal" (2024, DBP), and is currently writing a book titled "Seni Teater Bangsawan" (DBP). During her stint with the NGOs, Marlenny was the former President of the ASWARA Alumni Association 2015-2018 and is currently the Chairperson of Persatuan Rumpun Seni Mekar Budaya Kuala Lumpur (since 2020). She has also been a member of Ikatan Penulis Sabah since 1992. Recently, she received Anugerah Khas Cendekia (Seni Teater) in Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Kuala Lumpur.

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.  

BIODATA   Rosmawani Che Hashim is an associate professor at the Department of Management and Marketing, Universiti Malaya (UM). Her areas of expertise are commercial law and banking law. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) degree in 1992 and a Bachelor of Shariah Law (Hons) degree in 1993 from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). Following her bachelor’s degree, she obtained her master’s in international commercial law from the University of Nottingham, the UK, in 1995. She holds her Ph.D. in Islamic Banking and Finance Law at the International Islamic Banking and Finance Institute (IIiBF) at IIUM. She began her career as a lecturer at Universiti Utara Malaysia in 1995 before transferring to UM in 2005. Currently, she is teaching Commercial Law and Legal Aspects of Banking Law at the Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE). Apart from her considerable teaching experience and administration posts, she is active in literary pursuits. She published articles in her related field in various social sciences journals, books, and proceedings of international conferences. She has several years of experience in consulting projects with agencies such as Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), the Asian Institute of Finance (AIF), and the British High Commission, United Kingdom. Her research area covers legal issues in commercial and banking laws, wellbeing at the workplace, domestic violence, and elderly and informal caretakers' wellbeing. Her current interest is in qualitative research.