Omar Rahman

Education

Omar graduated from the University of Sydney in 1958 with a degree in Veterinary Science and later earned a Doctor of Philosophy from University of Cambridge in 1966.

Career

Omar is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of the MUST Ehsan Foundation, a not for profit foundation that currently manages and administers the Malaysia University of Science and Technology. Early academic career He started his professional career in 1960 in veterinary research, then in 1972 moved on to academic life at Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (University of Petroleum and Minerals), now Universiti Putra Malaysia where he was the Founding Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences and the first professor appointed by the university. Omar played major roles in the establishment phase of the university and in the founding of several faculties and academic programmes.

His last position at University of Petroleum and Minerals was as Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic Affairs.

Government and corporate career In 1984 he was appointed Science Adviser in the Prime Minister"s Department, the first person to hold the position. As Science Adviser, Tan Sri Omar served on a number of national committees including The National Development Planning Committee, The National Council for Scientific Research and Development, The National Information Technology Council and the National Telecommunication Council.

He initiated a number of national programmes for enhancing research and development funding, for commercialization of the results of research and for the overall improvement of the national science and technology management processes. Later academic career Retirement from government service He retires as Science Advisor in January 2001 after serving for more than 16 years but remains as Prime Minister"s Special Representative to CPTM. Upon retirement in January 2001, he was given the task to establish and manage the Venture Capital for Technology Acquisition fund, a government fund managed by Kumpulan Modal Perdana Sdn.

Bhd., of which he was its Executive Chairman from 2001 to April 2007.

Honorary doctorates = Australia = Canada = Malaysia = United Kingdom State honours = Malaysian federal awards.

Achievements

• In recognition of his contributions, Omar has received the following: = Australia = University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland = Canada = University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario = Malaysia = National University of Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor = United Kingdom = University of Bristol, Bristol, England University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland = Malaysian federal awards = Panglima Setia Mahkota carrying the title of Tan Sri Johan Mangku Negara Johan Setia Mahkota.

Membership

He also served as a member of the United Nations Advisory Committee on Science and Technology for Development, the Executive Committee for the Organisation of the Islamic Conference"s Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation and of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s International Scientific Council for Science and Technology Policy Development.