UTHM Expert: Professor Sr Dr. Wan Zahari Wan Yusoff

“The greatest among us are those who illuminate the path for others; their true wealth is not counted in possessions, but in the hope, they spark, the wisdom they impart, and the enduring legacy that breathes life into the dreams of generations to come.” – Wan Zahari

Professor Sr Dr. Wan Zahari Wan Yusoff is a distinguished academic and seasoned professional with extensive expertise in real estate management, property valuation, and facility management. He is currently a Professor in Real Estate Management at the Faculty of Technology Management and Business, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM). In addition to serving as a senate member of UTHM, he is also a principal researcher at the Malaysian Real Estate Institute (MyREI) and has held numerous key positions, including Director of Business Development at UTHM, Director of Waqf and Endowment, Head of Department of Construction and Real Estate Management, and Deputy Director of Facilities and Property Management at UTHM.

Prior to joining academia, he amassed significant experience in both public and private sectors, including roles at the Valuation and Property Services Department (JPPH), Ministry of Finance Malaysia; the National Institute of Valuation (INSPEN); Syarikat Takaful Malaysia Sdn Bhd; and real estate consultancy firms.

Professionally, he is a Registered Valuer, Registered Estate Agent, and Registered Property Manager under the Board of Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents, and Property Managers (BOVAEP). He is also a Professional Member of the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM) and a Professional Land Consultant (PERTAMA). Apart from that, he is actively engaged in accreditation work, as an Accredition Panel Member for BOVAEP and the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) for various real estate programmes at leading local and international universities, including Universiti Malaya, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, and Northumbria University, UK.

Academically, he holds a PhD in Property and Facilities Management (UTHM), a Master’s in Integrated Construction Project Management (UiTM), a Bachelor’s in Estate Management (UiTM), and a Diploma in Valuation (UTM). Throughout his career, he has supervised a substantial number of Master’s and PhD candidates by research. He teaches a wide range of real estate courses, including Professional Practice, Statutory Valuation, Property Valuation, Land Acquisition, Property Law, Property Management, Building Management and Maintenance, Building Technology, and other related subjects.

He is also a sought-after speaker and keynote presenter at conferences, seminars, and specialised professional courses in real estate, both nationally and internationally, allowing his expertise to reach audiences far beyond the campus.

His scholarly contributions include more than 50 indexed journal articles, academic books, and policy documents. Meanwhile his professional service extends to advisory roles for various organisations, including the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP), UTHM Waqf and Endowment Board, and UTHM Cooperative Board.

Among his major contributions in facility management are the transformation of UTHM’s main campus from 100 acres to 655 acres; site selection for the development of the Pagoh Higher Education Hub; acquisition and management of student hostels worth RM200 million; approval for the construction of a RM25 million campus rooftop solar project; and approval for the RM5.5 million acquisition of Metro System Academy.

With over three decades of experience spanning government, industry, and academia, Professor Wan Zahari is recognised both as an academician and industry expert, whose work has made significant contributions to knowledge advancement and societal development, particularly in the specialised field of real estate management.