Dr. Mohd Khairi bin Ismail is a respected Malaysian economist, researcher, and academic who currently serves as a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Cawangan Terengganu. With over 15 years of experience in higher education and research, Dr. Khairi has made significant contributions in the fields of development economics, environmental economics, and poverty studies. He is also a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies (UAC), University of Malaya—an institution known for championing inclusive and sustainable development research. A First-Class Honours graduate in Economics from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Dr. Khairi later earned his PhD in Environment and Development (Economics) from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). His academic journey reflects a deep commitment to interdisciplinary research addressing socio-economic issues affecting the B40 community, urban poverty, and sustainable livelihoods. His scholarly work has been published in more than 60 journals, proceedings, and book chapters, with multiple publications indexed in Scopus and Web of Science (WoS).  Dr. Khairi has received numerous recognitions and academic awards, including the best paper award and multiple gold medals for innovation in research and teaching. His policy-based research has received grants from national research bodies, especially in projects related to community well-being, Islamic social finance, and urban resilience. In addition, he is an editorial board member for SAGE Open and reviewer for several national and international journals. His expertise has also earned him frequent invitations to media appearances, both in print and broadcast. Dr. Khairi has been featured on RTM and RTM Radio, offering expert commentary on national issues such as the cost of living, national budget, SST vs GST, and inflation. He has also contributed opinion pieces and interviews to major newspapers including Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia, Sinar Harian, and The Star. His media engagements are characterized by a balanced, data-driven, and policy-relevant approach that bridges the gap between academia and the public.