Zainon Mustaffa currently serves as the Senior Director of Academic Innovation, Registrar and Advisor of Government Relations with Asia School of Business (ASB). Prior to joining ASB, Zainon was the Group Registrar for INTI Education Group, Malaysia, an organization she joined in 2013, after having served the Ministry of Education (MoE) /Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) for 26 years in various functions.

With the ministry, her portfolio ranged from the Scholarship Division, University Placement Services, the Management of Malaysian scholars abroad via Malaysian Students Departments situated globally as well as managing licensing requirements for private higher education institutions.

During her stint with MoHE, she was also instrumental in managing the successful procurement and the delivery of the new Malaysian Students Department for United Kingdom & Eire and Malaysia Hall London, a project that was worth MYR 125.3 million. She also played a key role in the upgrading of 15 private institutions of higher learning to full-fledged private universities between 2012-13.

Her area of specialization includes regulatory and compliance matters within the Private Higher Education Act (1996) and its regulations, under the purview of the MoHE. At ASB, Zainon played a crucial role in ensuring the successful registration of ASB’s university license with MoHE, also through the laborious procurement of all the relevant approvals and licenses that was required to fulfill this.

Upon the set-up of the School, she has since been spearheading the efforts for putting in place various regulatory processes and structures for the systematic implementation of ASB’s flagship MBA program and all other subsequent programs such as the MBA for Working Professionals, the Master of Central Banking program, ensuring that these programs were consistent with the requirements of MoHE and the Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA).

Another successful project by Zainon was the set-up of the International Students Office for the international students pass and dependents’ applications and renewals, working closely with Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) and Immigration Malaysia. Zainon is also ASB’s key go-to person with regards to government relations and for all matters involving governmental bodies.

Zainon obtained her M.A in Educational Management & Administration from Institute of Education, University College London. She also holds a double degree majoring in Chemistry & Mathematics and Education from the University of Technology Malaysia and a Diploma in the same discipline.