View source for Zeti Akhtar Aziz

{{Short description|Governor of Bank of Malaysia}}
{{Malay name|Zeti Akhtar|Aziz|note=on}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[Malay styles and titles#Honorary styles|Yang Mulia]] [[Malay styles and titles#Tan Sri|Tan Sri]] [[Order of the Crown of Johor|Datin Paduka]]
| name                = Ungku Zeti Akhtar Aziz
| honorific_suffix    = {{post-nominals|country=MYS|size=100|DK II (Johor)|PSM|DPMJ|SUMW|SSAP}}
| native_name         = 
| native_name_lang    = 
| image               = 
| imagesize           = 180
| caption             = 
| order1              = 7th
| office1             = Governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia
| term_start1         = 1 May 2000
| term_end1           = 30 April 2016
| predecessor1        = [[Ali Abul Hassan Sulaiman]]
| successor1          = [[Muhammad Ibrahim (banker)|Muhammad bin Ibrahim]]
| order2              = 
| office2             = Member of the Malaysian [[Council of Elders (Malaysia)|Council of Eminent Persons]]
| term_start2         = 12 May 2018
| term_end2           = 21 August 2018
| predecessor2        = ''Position established''
| successor2          = ''Position abolished''
| office3             = Group Chairman of [[Permodalan Nasional Berhad]]
| predecessor3        = [[Abdul Wahid Omar]]
| successor3          = [[Arifin Zakaria]]
| term_start3         = 1 July 2018
| term_end3           = 30 April 2021
| office4             = Chairman of [[Sime Darby Property]]
| predecessor4        = [[Abdul Wahid Omar]]
| successor4          = Rizal Rickman Ramli
| term_start4         = 23 July 2018
| term_end4           = 6 May 2021
| birth_name          = Zeti Akhtar Aziz
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age
|1947|8|27|df=yes}}
| birth_place         = [[Johor Bahru, Johor]], [[Malayan Union]] (now Malaysia)
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| restingplace        = 
| restingplacecoordinates = 
| birthname           = 
| party               = 
| otherparty          = 
| spouse              = 
| partner             = 
| relations           = 
| children            = 
| parents             = [[Ungku Abdul Aziz|Ungku Aziz]]<br />[[Azah Aziz]]
| residence           = 
| alma_mater          = [[University of Malaya]]<br />[[University of Pennsylvania]]
| occupation          = 
| profession          = Economist
| cabinet             = 
| committees          = 
| portfolio           = 
| signature           = Zeti Akhtar Aziz Signature 11 March 2015.png
| signature_alt       = 
| website             = 
| footnotes           = 
}}
'''Ungku Zeti Akhtar binti Ungku Abdul Aziz''' (born 27 August 1947) was the 7th [[Governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia|Governor]] of [[Bank Negara Malaysia]], [[Malaysia]]'s central bank. She served as Governor from 2000 to 2016, and was the first woman in the position and at 16 years, the longest to hold the position. Zeti was one of the members of the [[Seventh Mahathir cabinet#Council of Eminent Persons|Council of Eminent Persons]] (CEP) in [[Mahathir Mohamad|Mahathir's]] second administration, a special advisory council advising the government on economic and financial matters during this transitional period.<ref name=CEP>{{cite news|title=Who's who in Mahathir's new Cabinet and Council of Elders|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/whos-who-in-mahathirs-new-cabinet-and-council-of-elders|access-date=13 May 2018|work=The Straits Times|date=12 May 2018}}</ref>

==Early life==
Zeti Akhtar Aziz was born in [[Johor Bahru, Johor]] on 26 August 1947; to father [[Ungku Aziz]], who is of [[Malays (ethnic group)|Malay]], [[Circassians|Circassian]]<ref>[http://cgm.cs.mcgill.ca/~hagha/library/attas.htm Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110114052326/http://cgm.cs.mcgill.ca/~hagha/library/attas.htm |date=January 14, 2011 }}, MSA Library Online</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090408093155/http://www.thestar.com.my:80/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2007/4/1/lifefocus/17281586&sec=lifefocus Taking root, branching out], Dzireena Mahadzir, April 1, 2007, [[The Star (Malaysia)]]</ref> and [[English people|English]]<ref>Abid, Jaafar, pp66</ref> descent, and mother Sharifah Azah Mohamed Alsagoff, who was of [[Hadhrami people|Hadhrami]] [[Arab]] and [[Malays (ethnic group)|Malay]] descent.<ref>{{Cite news| title= Finance's female face| url= http://small-business-voip.tmcnet.com/news/2005/Dec/1246332.htm| date=2005-12-29 | publisher=TMCnet.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| title= The world's successful diasporas| url= http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/news/648273/| date= 2007-04-03 | publisher=managementtoday.com}}</ref> Her father Ungku Aziz was an economist and former vice-chancellor for the University of Malaya from 1968 to 1988. He received the title "Royal Professor".

She received her early education at the Assunta School, [[Petaling Jaya]] in 1964. She then completed her Form 6 in [[St. John's Institution, Kuala Lumpur]]. In 1970, she received a bachelor's degree in [[Economics]] from [[University Malaya]].

She continued her studies in the Department of Economics at the [[University of Pennsylvania|University of Pennsylvania (Penn)]], an [[Ivy League]] university in [[Philadelphia]], receiving a PhD in monetary and [[international economics]] in 1978. As part of her PhD [[dissertation]], she carried out pioneering work on capital flows and its implications for monetary policy.

==Career==
Zeti began her career as an economic [[Financial analyst|analyst]] for the South-East Asia Central Bank Training & Research Center, remaining at that post from 1979 to 1984. She was then appointed Deputy Manager of the Economics Department at [[Bank Negara Malaysia]].

In 2009, [[Global Finance (magazine)|''Global Finance'']] named her as one of the world's best central bank chiefs.<ref>{{Cite news| title= Dr. Zeti Akhtar Aziz the world's best central bank chief| url= http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/6743907-dr-zeti-akhtar-aziz-the-worlds-best-central-bank-chief| date=Sep 13, 2010 | publisher=All Voices.com}}</ref> In 2010 during the national-level [[Islamic New Year|Ma'al Hijrah]] celebrations held that year, the Malaysian government had awarded her the title of "Tokoh Ma'al Hijrah 1432H" ("Figure of the New Year 1432AH").<ref>{{Cite news| title= Tan Sri Dr Zeti named 'Tokoh Ma'al Hijrah'| url= http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/12/7/nation/20101207172134&sec=nation| date=December 7, 2010 | work=The Star}}</ref>

On 20 May 2011, Bloomberg columnist William Pesek had picked Zeti, during her post as Bank Negara governor, as one of his top four nominees to head the prestigious [[International Monetary Fund]] after the position became vacant following the resignation of [[Dominique Strauss-Kahn]] who was arrested in New York, and is presently facing sexual assault charges.<ref>{{Cite news|title= Zeti one of Bloomberg columnist's top picks to head IMF| url=http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/business/article/zeti-one-of-bloomberg-columnists-top-picks-to-head-imf/| date= May 21, 2011| publisher=The Malaysian Insider}}</ref>

In 2013, she was again accorded “Grade A” among the heads of central banks for the 10th time by the Global Finance magazine. She was awarded alongside Philippines’ central bank governor [[Amando Tetangco, Jr.]] and Taiwan's Central Bank Governor [[Perng Fai-nan]], from a list of central bank governors of more than 50 key countries.<ref>{{Cite news|title= Bank Negara's Zeti awarded 'Grade A' among central bank governors| url=http://www.thestar.com.my/Business/Business-News/2013/08/27/Zeti-gets-an-A-for-the-10th-time.aspx | date= Aug 27, 2013| work=The Star}}</ref>

Zeti was named the recipient of Central Banking's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.centralbanking.com/node/2440199|title=Lifetime achievement award: Zeti Akhtar Aziz|date=2016-01-14|website=Central Banking|access-date=2019-05-14}}</ref>

She receives The Royal Award for Islamic Finance in honouring the excellence service in Islamic Finance on 3 October 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://theroyalaward.com/media/in-the-news/2021/tan-sri-dr-zeti-akhtar-aziz,-5th-recipient-of-the-the-royal-award-for-islamic-finance-a-collection-of-speeches-and-public-lectures-in-conjunction-with-the-royal-award-10th-year-anniversary.aspx|title=Tan Sri Dr. Zeti Akhtar Aziz, 5th Recipient of the Royal Award for Islamic Finance – A Collection of Speeches and Public Lectures in Connection With the Royal Award 10th Year Anniversary|date=28 January 2021|website=The Royal Award for Islamic Finance|access-date=30 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sc.com.my/resources/media/media-release/honouring-excellence-in-islamic-finance-the-2018-royal-award-recipient-tan-sri-dr-zeti-akhtar-aziz|title=Honouring Excellence in Islamic Finance: The 2018 Royal Award Recipient, Tan Sri Dr. Zeti Akhtar Aziz|date=3 October 2018|website= Securities Commission Malaysia|access-date=30 July 2021}}</ref>

Zeti who was the Chairman of the [[Asian Institute of Finance]] has also receives the William “Bill” Seidman Award for Lifetime Achievement in Leadership in the Financial Services Industry for 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theasianbanker.com/updates-and-articles/zeti-akhtar-aziz-receives-the-william-bill-seidman-award-for-lifetime-achievement-in-leadership-in-the-financial-services-industry-for-2018|title=Zeti Akhtar Aziz receives the William “Bill” Seidman Award for Lifetime Achievement in Leadership in the Financial Services Industry for 2018|date=24 May 2018|website=The Asian Banker|access-date=30 July 2021}}</ref>

On 12 May 2018 just after the [[2018 Malaysian general election|2018 general election]] (GE14), the new [[Pakatan Harapan]] (PH) ruling coalition Prime Minister [[Mahathir Mohamad]] announced that Zeti was appointed as one of the members of the [[Council of Eminent Persons (Malaysia)|Council of Eminent Persons]] (CEP) to serves as advisors to the new PH government.<ref name=CEP/> She joined [[Daim Zainuddin]], [[Robert Kuok]], [[Jomo Kwame Sundaram]] and [[Hassan Marican]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=hermesauto|date=12 May 2018|title=Who's who in Mahathir's new Cabinet and Council of Elders|work=The Straits Times|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/whos-who-in-mahathirs-new-cabinet-and-council-of-elders|access-date=30 July 2018}}</ref> The purpose of the council was to advise the government on matters pertaining to economic and financial matters during the 100-days transition of power period.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2018/08/403488/cep-has-ended-its-tenure-says-daim|date=August 20, 2018|author=Manirajan Ramasamy, Masriwanie Muhamading|work=[[New Straits Times]]|title=CEP has ended its tenure, says Daim|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810224239/https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2018/08/403488/cep-has-ended-its-tenure-says-daim|access-date=August 20, 2018 |archive-date=10 August 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/malaysia-s-council-of-eminent-persons-completes-100-days-to-10636614|date=August 21, 2018|publisher=[[Channel News Asia]]|title=Malaysia's Council of Eminent Persons completes 100 days, to submit recommendations|access-date=August 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020215941/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/malaysia-s-council-of-eminent-persons-completes-100-days-to-10636614|archive-date=20 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Zeti was appointed the Group Chairman of [[Permodalan Nasional Berhad|Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB)]] on 1 July 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2018/06/29/zeti-reported-to-be-pnb-executive-chairman/|title=Zeti {{as written|appp|ointed [sic]}} PNB group chairman, takes over from Wahid - Business News {{!}} The Star Online|website=www.thestar.com.my|access-date=2018-07-16}}</ref> She was also appointed the Chairman of [[Sime Darby Property]]. She is the first woman to hold the post.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2018/07/24/sime-darby-property-appoints-zeti-as-chairman/|title=Sime Darby Property appoints Zeti as chairman - Business News {{!}} The Star Online|website=www.thestar.com.my|access-date=2018-07-25}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Zeti is married to Tawfiq Ayman<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/husband-of-former-malaysian-central-bank-chief-questioned-by-police|title=Husband of former Malaysian central bank chief questioned by police|date=15 April 2021|work=The Straits Times|access-date=30 July 2021}}</ref> and they have two children.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/564621 |title='S'pore alerted BNM on Jho Low transfers to Zeti's husband's company in 2015'|date=27 February 2021|publisher=Malaysiakini|access-date=30 July 2021}}</ref>

==Honours==
===Honours of Malaysia===
* {{Flag|Malaysia}}:
** [[File:Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia - PSM.svg|50px]] Commander of the [[Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia#Commander|Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia]] (PSM) – '''Tan Sri''' (2001)<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.istiadat.gov.my/v8/images/stories/Tahun_2001.pdf|title=Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 2001.}}</ref>
* {{Flag|Johor}}:
** [[File:Order_of_the_Crown_of_Johor_ribbon_bar.svg|50px]] Knight Commander of the [[Order of the Crown of Johor]] (DPMJ) – '''Datin Paduka''' (1998)
** [[File:Most Esteemed Royal Family Order of Johor - ribbon bar.svg|50px]] Second Class of the [[Royal Family Order of Johor]] (DK II) (2000)
* {{Flag|Pahang}}:
** [[File:MY-PAH Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang - Grand Knight - SSAP.svg|50px]] Grand Knight of the [[Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang]] (SSAP) – '''Dato' Sri''' (2002)<ref name=IST>{{cite web
|url=http://www.istiadat.gov.my/index.php/component/semakanlantikanskp/|title=Semakan Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang Dan Pingat|publisher=[[Prime Minister's Department (Malaysia)]]|access-date=25 December 2020}}</ref>
* {{Flag|Federal Territory (Malaysia)}}:
** [[File:MY-FED Darjah Mahkota Wilayah - Grand Knight - SUMW.svg|50px]] Grand Knight of the [[Orders, decorations, and medals of the Malaysian states and federal territories#Federal Territories|Order of the Territorial Crown]] (SUMW) – '''Datuk Seri Utama''' (2009)<ref name=IST/>

===Foreign honour===
* {{Flag|Japan}}:
** [[File:JPN Kyokujitsu-sho 2Class BAR.svg|50px]] Gold and Silver Star of the [[Order of the Rising Sun]] (2017)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Celebration of Tan Sri Dr. Zeti Akhtar Aziz’s award of The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star|url=https://www.my.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/newinfo_27042018B.html|date=27 April 2018|access-date=1 March 2021|website=Embassy of Japan in Malaysia}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia}}
{{Portal bar|Malaysia|Biography|Economy}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zeti Akhtar Aziz}}
[[Category:1947 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Johor]]
[[Category:Malaysian Muslims]]
[[Category:Hadhrami people]]
[[Category:House of Temenggong of Johor]]
[[Category:Malaysian people of Circassian descent]]
[[Category:Malaysian people of English descent]]
[[Category:Malaysian people of Turkish descent]]
[[Category:Malaysian people of Yemeni descent]]
[[Category:Malaysian people of Malay descent]]
[[Category:Malaysian civil servants]]
[[Category:21st-century women civil servants]]
[[Category:Malaysian economists]]
[[Category:Women economists]]
[[Category:Malaysian bankers]]
[[Category:Women bankers]]
[[Category:Governors of the Central Bank of Malaysia]]
[[Category:University of Malaya alumni]]
[[Category:Second Classes of the Royal Family Order of Johor]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Crown of Johor]]