Wan Marhaini Wan Ahmad is an Associate Professor at the Department of Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia. She has been a member of the Shariah Advisory Board for a few local Islamic financial and corporate institutions (Zurich General Takaful Malaysia Berhad and Zurich Takaful Malaysia Berhad since 2020, UOB Malaysia Nerhad since 2021 and Xeraya Capital Sendirian Berhad since 2014). Prior to this, she served as a Shariah Committee member for Bank Muamalat Malaysia Berhad (2012-2019) and EonCap Islamic Bank Berhad (2011 till 2012). She is also a registered Shariah Advisor for the Malaysian Islamic Capital Market. She has received secondary school education from Maahad Muhammadi lil Banat in Kelantan and obtained her Bachelor of Syariah (Hon.) from the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. Further, she acquired her Master in Economics from the International Islamic University Malaysia and a doctoral degree in Islamic Finance from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Her main research interest is Islamic finance, waqf, zakat and personal finance behaviour. She has written, reviewed and edited articles and books as well as has more than a decade of experiences teaching and supervising students’ works in these areas.

Dr Nik Soffiya is an early career researcher at the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya. Her scholarly interests are often situated at the intersection of language and social (in)justice. She is an emerging expert in Critical Discourse Studies with a strong inclination towards interdisciplinary research. Her current projects primarily revolve around discourses related to (violence against) women and children, including topics such as female genital cutting and online misogyny within the Malaysian context. She is also a co-founder of the Alliance of Linguists for Palestine (ALPS) research working group, driving linguistics-based research on the Palestinian resistance and liberation. Beyond her academic endeavours, Dr Nik Soffiya is actively involved in training doctoral candidates for Three Minute Thesis competition. She welcomes supervision request from students who are interested in exploring discourses of social issues through a critical discursive lens.

Dr. Phang Kean Chang is a distinguished clinical scientist, academician, and bioethicist currently serving as Senior Lecturer at the Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya. With a multidisciplinary foundation comprising a PhD in Pathology, dual Master’s degrees in Health Research Ethics and Medical Sciences (Pathology), and a BSc in Biohealth Science, Dr. Phang has built an exceptional career at the intersection of molecular medicine, ethics, and leadership in academic research.   He heads the Medical Research Ethics Unit (MREU) at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, where he has led transformational improvements in ethical review systems, spearheaded training programmes for researchers and reviewers, and successfully hosted the 23rd FERCAP International Conference. As Coordinator of UMHealth under the Associate Vice Chancellor's Office, Dr. Phang has also played a key role in institutional strategic health initiatives with the five key health entities in the University. His research spans molecular diagnostics, digital pathology, cancer immunotherapy, and bioethics. He is actively involved in multiple national and international research projects, including private clinical trials and the Wellcome funded Global Health Bioethics Network (GHBN), a collaboration with the University of Oxford. His scholarly contributions include peer-reviewed publications in pathology, oncology, and bioethics, and he has co-authored national and international policy papers, such as Malaysia’s Decentralised Clinical Trials (DCT) Guidance Document. Dr. Phang is a Chartered Scientist (UK Royal Society of Biology), a Senior Research Fellow with the GHBN, steering committee of Southeast Asia Bioethics Network, and a member of the Young Scientists Network-Academy of Sciences Malaysia. He has received multiple recognitions, including the Certificate of Excellent Service (UM, 2025), and fellowships from WHO, NIH (USA), and WCG IRB–New York University Langone Health. Renowned for his commitment to ethical leadership and interdisciplinary collaboration, Dr. Phang continues to influence health policy, research governance, and academic development both nationally and internationally.