Edward Vrkić is currently serving as UNDP’s Resident Representative to Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam. Prior to this, he was the Strategic Adviser to UNDP’s Bureau for Asia and the Pacific and before this, UNDP’s Deputy Resident Representative to Papua New Guinea. He has served in various senior diplomatic, advisory, civil service and private sector positions over the last 25 years across the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa. These include for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia’s Agency for International Development, as Senior Foreign Policy Adviser to the Australian Foreign Minister, Chief of Staff to Pacific Island Forum Leaders, and Australia’s Head of Aid Operations and Humanitarian Coordinator to Papua New Guinea.
Vrkić has a master’s degree in international relations (with distinction) from the Australian National University and a Bachelor of Arts with honours (first class) from the University of Wollongong. He has extensive experience delivering development cooperation, public policy, communications, humanitarian response, leading negotiations, implementing reform programs, and driving innovation across a wide range of countries and socio-economic contexts.
Besian Xhezo is a seasoned development professional with over 15 years of international experience in strategic planning, inter-agency coordination, partnership development, and UN system reform. He joins the UNDP Country Office in Malaysia as the new Deputy Resident Representative for UNDP in Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei Darussalam, bringing a strong track record of advancing inclusive development and institutional transformation across diverse country contexts.
Prior to his current role, Besian served as Special Assistant to the UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, where he advised on strategic management and performance, covering 24 UNDP Country Offices across the Asia Pacific region. He played a key role in strengthening high-level partnerships with governments, international financial institutions, and development partners, while enhancing organizational responsiveness and risk management.
From 2012 to 2020, Besian held multiple roles and with increasing responsibilities, leading UNDP’s global engagement in UN system-wide reform, including as Policy Specialist and Team Leader for UN System Affairs. He represented UNDP in interagency bodies and supported the organization’s adaptation to evolving development financing and coordination models. His work contributed to greater coherence in joint programming and innovation in funding mechanisms.
Besian’s field experience includes leading coordination efforts in Albania’s One UN Programme, managing donor-funded projects. He also supported strategic planning with UNDP offices in China and Libya. Prior to joining the UN, Besian worked in the private sector where he led Corporate Social Responsibility efforts for a large Telecom provider.
A Fulbright Scholar, Besian holds a Master’s Degree in international development policy from George Washington University and a Bachelor’s Degree in political science and EU Studies from the American University in Bulgaria. He is fluent in English, Albanian, and Italian, with working knowledge of Spanish and French.
Ashvinder Singh is the Development Economist at UNDP Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei Darussalam, where he leads research and thought leadership on sustainable development. He has 14 years of experience across public and private sectors, including oil and gas, aviation, and development. His expertise covers risk and project management, regulatory affairs, and economic and industry research. Previously, he worked in a national oil corporation and an aviation regulatory body.
At UNDP, he previously headed the Governance Programme, working on human rights, anti-corruption, parliamentary reform, and sustainability. Ashvinder holds an MSc in Political Science and Political Economy from the London School of Economics and a BA in Business Economics and Finance from the University of Nottingham (Malaysia). He also holds certifications from the International Air Transport Association and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.
As the Head of Sustainable Finance and Innovation at UNDP Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, Yin Wei leads the design of innovative programming and financing solutions in collaboration with government, private sector, and civil society partners to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Her portfolio focuses on key thematic areas including climate change, nature-based solutions, energy transition, and digital inclusion. She also represents the Malaysia Country Office in the global Digital Advocate Network.
Previously, Yin Wei served as Head of Solutions Mapping under UNDP’s Accelerator Lab Network, where she transforms emerging solutions into actionable policy recommendations and development models. Her work included initiatives such as rural e-commerce, climate-resilient technologies, and participatory design in urban development. She also contributed to strengthening Malaysia's local innovation ecosystem in the impact space with startups, social enterprises, and MSMEs.
Before joining UNDP, she worked at Ministry of Education-Education Performance and Delivery Unit, where she advanced urban-rural, socioeconomic and gender equity in education through the District Transformation Programme. Earlier in her career with UNHCR Malaysia, she pioneered tertiary education access program for refugee youth and community-led youth initiatives.
Yin Wei holds an MSc in Rehabilitation Psychology with a focus on cognitive science and a BSc (Hons) in Applied Psychology and Management Studies from the University of Nottingham. She is fluent in Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
Herlianna Naning is the Head of the Governance & Inclusive Growth at UNDP Malaysia, where she leads strategic collaboration with key government bodies—including the Prime Minister’s Department and Ministry of Economy—to strengthen national social policies that ensure no one is left behind. Herlianna spearheaded the development of Malaysia’s first National Social Protection Policy and advanced poverty measurement through the multidimensional poverty index. She is currently working with Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli (JAKOA) to replace the 1961 Orang Asli Administrative Policy with a more inclusive and sustainable development framework, and partnering with the ILO to improve labor market access and social protection for persons with disabilities.
Mahalatchmy Paidathally is an experienced operations professional with over 25 years of expertise in logistics, procurement, administration and finance. She has a proven track record of driving operational excellence and innovation, delivering transformative results across diverse industries in the private sector.
Prior to her current role, Maha served as the Administrative Analyst at UNDP Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC) from 2018 – 2023, where she was responsible for managing the Centre’s core operational functions. Prior to joining UNDP, she held several leadership roles in the private sector across finance, logistics, procurement and administration. She also served as a Lead Auditor for ISO 9001 and ISO14001 standards, was a core member of the Occupational Safety & Health Committee and is a certified environmental professional in Scheduled Waste Management.
Maha holds a Master’s Degree in Business Management from Anglia Ruskin University (UK) and a Bachelor’s Degree with Distinction in Business Administration from the RMIT University (Australia).
Aiezat Fadzell is the Head of Communications at UNDP Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei Darussalam, leading media engagement, digital outreach, and stakeholder relations to support UNDP’s programmes. With over 11 years of experience in journalism, public campaigns, crisis communications, and events across multilateral institutions, government agencies, and non-profits, he brings practical expertise in ensuring UNDP’s messages reach diverse audiences and foster understanding of sustainable development initiatives.
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