With three degrees, 21 certifications, this SVP is not your typical finance and strategy bro

How far would you go to stay ahead in a ruthless industry like finance?

For Muhammad Afiq Abdullah, the answer lies in relentless self-improvement. With 21 certifications, courses and three degrees to his name, the Senior Vice President of Strategy, Policy and Sustainability at one of the biggest financial institutions in Malaysia is a testament to the power of lifelong learning — a mindset that has propelled him to one of the best and strongest finance and strategy jobs.

“I always had this mantra of continuous learning,” he says.  “Apart from these certification programmes, I joined multiple courses on platforms like edX and Coursera, including their micro-certification programmes. To date, I have completed almost 21 courses, certifications, professional certifications and specialisations from top ranking universities in the world.”

Abdullah recognises that without embracing new technologies, he risked falling behind, especially as younger generations enter the workforce already equipped with the know-how to use these tools.

“When I look back, our generation didn’t have as much exposure to the digital technologies that make learning so accessible today,” he says. “We grew up in a more traditional education system, hence, we need to be more adaptive and agile in embracing new knowledge with new tools.”

The courses that he has taken, offered by universities like The Wharton School, the University of Cambridge, and others, have helped him gain not only a more current, but also broader understanding of key areas like strategy, finance, commercial strategy, sustainability, green finance, leadership, organisation transformation and project management.

“You can be highly skilled in one area, but if you don’t understand other key functions within your company, you’re creating a glass ceiling for yourself,” Abdullah says. “It’s important to have both depth and breadth in your knowledge to work effectively across departments, gain buy-in for your projects, and add value to your workplace. This is how you continue to grow and contribute to the success of your organisation.”

Abdullah is currently completing his CIMA and the Chartered Banker certification. Source: Muhammad Afiq Abdullah

The power of education

“Do you need a degree to succeed in today’s world?” 

It’s a question that’s been making headlines, with richest man in the world (at the time of writing) like Elon Musk saying, “A college degree is not a requirement to work at Tesla,” and Steven Bartlett, entrepreneur and host of “The Diary of a CEO,” openly sharing how he dropped out of university to chase his dreams. 

The latter often says, “Experience is the best teacher,” highlighting how he built his multi-million-dollar business without a degree.

But, figures like Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, credits much of his success to the academic foundation he received at institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Stanford University. Similarly, Indra Nooyi, the former CEO of PepsiCo, has often spoken about how her degrees, including an MBA from Yale, shaped her strategic thinking and opened doors in the corporate world.

For Abdullah, a degree still holds great value. 

“I believe that having a degree today is more of a fundamental requirement — a basic foundation that provides essential academic knowledge,” he says.

Abdullah (right) has always believed in continuous learning and self-improvement, emphasising the need to constantly upskill and stay resilient when necessary. Source: Muhammad Afiq Abdullah

Abdullah believes a degree is a qualification that comes with real-life experiences, that comes with the life in colleges and universities.

“Roles where you collaborate with colleagues, engage in presentations, and work on case studies teach you how to manage deadlines and deliver results,” he says. “These experiences are invaluable and can only be gained through enrolling in degree or diploma programmes.”

The difference is, according to Abdullah, is today’s degrees have now become more of a baseline requirement. Unlike in the past, when a degree was considered a significant asset, today, it is often expected of every job applicant today.

He knows that his degrees, alongside his certification courses, have been a key factor in his success in the corporate world. 

Without a degree, it would have been impossible for anyone to reach a high ranking role or any top-paying finance job, unless they are intelligent enough like the likes of Mark, Gates and etc.

Unlike the startup world, many employers in this field only recruit candidates who hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a field related to finance and business management.

Abdullah began his tertiary education at Multimedia University, one of Malaysia’s top universities. Source: Muhammad Afiq Abdullah

His early education and building a strong foundation

Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Abdullah realised that competition is fierce, especially when he first entered one of the best all-boys boarding schools in Malaysia. He was competing not just academically but also extracurricularly.

His passion for financial engineering and actuarial statistics led him to Multimedia University (MMU), the only university in Malaysia offering the programme.

Luckily, he secured a scholarship, which made the decision even more rewarding. Abdullah forecasted that three-year degrees might be draggy, and he might lose his interest in the final years, so he adopted a new strategy where he undertook 3rd years subjects in his 1st year, resulting him to start hard and tough and ended up easy and seamless.

In his final year at MMU, Abdullah joined the Youth Leadership Academy, a programme organised by McKinsey Malaysia. The programme selected the top students nationwide based on academic performance and leadership potential. Abdullah was among the 40 or 50 participants chosen that year.

The programme was intense, with participants developing a social enterprise and receiving mentorship from McKinsey. This experience opened his eyes to the world of high-level professionals and provided valuable insights into shaping his future career.

“For example, it was through the Leadership Academy that I first met Khairy Jamaluddin, a prominent Malaysian politician and former Minister of Youth and Sports, known for his leadership in various national initiatives, and Azran Osman-Rani, the former CEO of AirAsia X, along with other notable figures, but more importantly to be with like minded individuals who shared the same passion and objectives” he says.

After achieving first class in his bachelor’s degree, Abdullah knew he didn’t want to follow the conventional career path that many graduates pursue. “I’ve always followed the mantra of ‘less travelled roads,’” he says. 

Instead of aiming for roles at audit, banks or financial institutions firms, he chose a different direction and joined the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU), a Malaysian government think tanks led by former MAS and Shell Malaysia CEO, Dato’ Sri Idris Jala and focused on driving national economic transformation programme, as a Strategy Management Consultant. The Big Fast Results (BFR) methodology was aggressively used and implemented to drive major transformation shifts, in organisations and public sectors.

He spent three to four years there before deciding to pursue his master’s degree.

Abdullah pursued his master’s degree at Imperial College London in 2016. Source: Muhammad Afiq Abdullah

What it’s like to pursue a master’s at Imperial Business School

In 2016, Abdullah chose to pursue a Master’s in Economics and Strategy for Business at Imperial College London, named the UK’s top university for the second year in a row.

At the time, he was considering three top universities in the UK: Oxford, Cambridge, and Imperial. Imperial stood out because it was ranked #2 in the world in the QS rankings at the time (and still is), and the programme itself seemed interesting. 

He was also drawn to Imperial’s Business School, which had quickly built a strong reputation, especially in STEM education. The school’s unique teaching approach, which included case studies and lectures from visiting professors, made it an appealing choice.

“I decided to give it a shot and applied for the Masters Degree in Economics and Business Strategy (Double Major),” he says. “The selection process was rigorous, including a staged interview process to thoroughly evaluate applicants. Thankfully, I was accepted and was one of only two Malaysians selected for that master’s programme at Imperial.”

Studying at Imperial was a highly demanding yet rewarding experience. The master’s programme kicked off almost immediately upon his arrival, with exams starting just a few weeks into the semester. By the end of the first month, he was already sitting for his first exam in econometrics.

The pace was fast, with a heavy workload of exams, essays, and class participation. Most of his peers were top students from prestigious undergraduate programmes, which made the competition fierce.

Despite the challenges, he thrived, working closely with his classmates on presentations and case studies and constantly pushing himself to meet high standards — he graduated with a High Merit, an academic distinction that recognises students who graduate with honours, typically for achieving a high GPA.

Abdullah (middle) spent two years in Botswana helping the government drive economic transformation and build high-performance civil service — a key milestone in his career. Source: Muhammad Afiq Abdullah

After completing his master’s, he returned to Malaysia and wanted to re-enter the professional world. Though he was about to join a government-linked company, he received an unexpected offer to work on a global project instead. 

This led him to the Republic of Botswana in Africa, where he spent two years supporting the government in transforming its economy and developing high-performance organisations. 

Abdullah would later move into industry roles to get his hands dirty by shifting from a consultative approach to an implementative approach. His first position was as the Lead for Strategic Management for one of the biggest insurance companies in Malaysia, reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, where he developed strategic roadmaps to increase market penetration and double business growth across three different channels in the Islamic Space. 

After two years, he moved to a government-linked company, PLUS Malaysia Berhad, where he became the Head of Business-to-Business (B2B) Commercial Transformation. There, he focused on revenue growth from B2B drivers, monetising assets, and developing new commercial strategies, building ecosystem partnerships and driving loyalty programmes. PLUS gave him the learning on manoeuvring corporate transformation in large corporation with abundant years of presence. 

It was during his time at PLUS that Abdullah had a pivotal moment. “At one point, I thought, ‘Why not level up?'” he says. 

He challenged himself by applying for the Executive Advanced Postgraduate Diploma in Strategy and Innovation at the University of Oxford designed for C-Suites and Director of Major Corporations. “I gave it a shot, and thankfully, I was accepted,” he says. “It was a very competitive programme — around 2,000 candidates applied globally, but only about 40 were selected.”

Abdullah (left) went on to pursue a Postgraduate Degree in Strategy and Innovation at the University of Oxford, a programme tailored for senior professionals, C-Suites, and Corporate Leadership. Source: Muhammad Afiq Abdullah

Balancing work and Oxford classes

The postgraduate degree is a full-time programme designed specifically for executives, most of whom already hold master’s degrees and seasoned corporate leaders. 

Abdullah was the youngest in his cohort, with his peers’ titles ranging from C-Suites and Directors level position.

 The two-year programme consisted of four modules. Each module included a week in residence at Oxford, followed by online study in which participants completed assignments, exams and read substantial materials, including numerous books.

One book that stood out focused on innovation and its disruptive effects on industries. Abdullah and his classmates analysed how innovation could be quantified economically, using case studies from major companies worldwide.

One of the case studies even examined AirAsia’s innovative strategies and how it built an ecosystem of businesses in the adjacent aviation industries, giving Abdullah valuable insights into how businesses can thrive through disruptive change.

To attend the programme’s residential modules, Abdullah had to coordinate with his previous employer to secure time off. “It required careful planning and coordination, but it was essential for me to attend these sessions and gain the most from the program,” he says. Abdullah applied for financial support (scholarship) and complemented the balance of the fees with his own savings to further invest in himself.

Balancing work with such intensive studies wasn’t easy, but Abdullah was determined to make it work. 

Each module was based on case studies, and Abdullah had to review between 5,000 and 8,000 words of material for each module. This, combined with group projects and team planning, made for a demanding experience.

But there’s a silver lining. 

The programme’s practical nature allowed Abdullah to apply what he was learning directly to his work. “The programme was a perfect fit for the transformation initiatives I was leading at the company,” he says. “It really helped me bridge the gap between academic theory and practical application, making my work more effective and insightful.”

Abdullah (left) served as Executive Chairman and Advisor at a Youth Economic Forum, where he developed content, led research, outlined key discussion points, and moderated several sessions. Source: Muhammad Afiq Abdullah

Despite the challenges, Abdullah completed the programme with a distinction grade. Abdullah then left PLUS to further hone his strength in Strategic Business and Industry Development, designing public policy and driving the implementation of Public Listed Companies Transformation (PLCT) programme in Malaysia’s Stock Exchange. He was tasked to drive the PLCT programme to ensure listed companies adopted key essential strategies to increase their value by anchoring on Purpose, Digitalisation, Sustainability, Investor Relations, and Nation Building.

Beyond his professional work, Abdullah volunteered as a non-resident senior fellow at the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research, an adjunct professor teaching strategy, business analytics, and sustainability at one of the universities in Malaysia and active in mentoring the young leaders via multiple platform and programmes e.g., Youth Leadership Academy, IPTCs and many more. He remains active in sports, namely basketball, where he is involved heavily in supporting the alumni basketball association of his former all-boys boarding school.

He’s also taken on leadership roles, such as executive chairman/advisor of the Youth Economic Forum 2024 (YEF 2024), where he worked with the committee to bring together 1,600 young professionals to discuss Malaysia’s economic status. YEF 2024 was the largest economic forum to date ever organised by the Perdana Fellows Alumni Association and can be considered the largest economic forum for young professionals and youth in Malaysia.

When asked about his future goals, Abdullah says, “Most people have specific goals they want to achieve, like becoming a CEO by a certain age. For me, I focus on the things I can control, and the only thing I can control is myself. I always do a year-in-review assessment, comparing myself this year to last year — what has improved and what can be improved further in the coming years. These are the processes I’ve been following in the past few years since I started working.”