Professor Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood

Professor Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood

  • Executive Director, Sunway Centre for Planetary Health
  • Professor of Global Health
  • Planetary Health
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Biography

Professor Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood is a medical professional with more than two decades of experience managing crises in health, disasters and conflict settings. She is currently Professor and Executive Director of the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health at Sunway University in Malaysia. She is also a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Clean Air and co-chaired the Climate and Heath steering group. Other board roles include Roche, the Climate Action Accelerator and the Planetary Health Alliance globally, and the Employees Provident Fund in Malaysia. She is also Sustainability Advisor to Air Asia.

Her previous appointments included the Special Advisor on Public Health to the Prime Minister of Malaysia during the COVID pandemic. She has held many leadership roles in international organisations including the Chief of the World Humanitarian Summit at the United Nations and Under Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. She was also the founder of MERCY Malaysia, a leading humanitarian organisation from the global south.

For her contributions to society, she has received numerous international and national awards including the ASEAN Prize.

Academic & Professional Qualifications

  • International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance Honoris Causa, The Center for International Humanitarian Cooperation (Fordham University, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the United Nations System Staff College), New York (2011)
  • Program for Executive Development (General Management), International Management and Development Institute (IMD), Switzerland (2009)
  • Honorary Doctorate in Humanities, International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia (2006)
  • Masters in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University of Malaysia, Malaysia (1991)
  • Membership of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecology, UK(1990; elevated to Fellow in 2002)
  • Doctor of Medicine (Honours in Obstetrics and Gynaecology), National University of Malaysia, Malaysia (1986)

Research Interests

  • Planetary Health
  • Climate Change and Health
  • Humanitarian System and Disaster Management
  • System Leadership and Equity

Notable Publications

Academic Publications

  1. Haines, A. and Mahmood, J. (2025) ‘The imperative for actions to protect and promote human health within Earth-system boundaries’, The Lancet Planetary Health, 9(2). doi:10.1016/s2542-5196(25)00023-3.
  2. Faerron Guzmán, C.A. et al. (2025) ‘Planetary health: Focusing on the intersection of human health and the earth system’, Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 50. doi:10.1146/annurev-environ-111523-102309.
  3. Myers, S.S. et al. (2025) ‘Connecting planetary boundaries and planetary health: A resilient and stable earth system is crucial for human health’, The Lancet, 406(10501), pp. 315–319. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(25)01256-5.
  4. Schaeffer, R. et al. (2025) ‘Ten new insights in climate science 2024’, One Earth, 8(6), p. 101285. doi:10.1016/j.oneear.2025.101285.
  5. Wong BLH, Aslanyan G, Panichkriangkrai W, Leite RB, Mahmood J, Nordström A (2025) From algorithms to negotiations: Why health diplomacy must adapt. PLOS Glob Public Health 5(4): e0004488. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.00044
  6. Rajaram, Nadia, et al. “Planetary Health Diet in Malaysia: Recommendations for Healthier People and Planet.” Environmental Challenges, vol. 17, 12 Nov. 2024, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667010024002154, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2024.101049.
  7. Schaeffer, Roberto, et al. “Ten New Insights in Climate Science 2024.” One Earth, vol. 8, no. 6, 20 June 2025, p. 101285, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590332225001113, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2025.101285.
  8. Howard, J., Moineau, G., Poitras, J., Redvers, N., Mahmood, J., Eissa, M., Al Qodmani, L., Potter, T., Green, S., and Guzman, C.A.F. (2023) Seeding a planetary health education revolution: Institutional sign-on challenge. The Lancet 402(10418), p2173-2176
  9. El-Sherbini, M.S., Tajudeen, Y.A., Oladipo, H.J., Oladunjoye, I.O., Adebayo, A.O., and Mahmood, J. (2023) Planetary health and anthropocene discourse: The role of Muslim religious leaders. Challenges 14(46)
  10. Ramazanu, S., Wiyono, L., Abu-Odah, H., Comabig, R.G., Musa, S.S., Mahmood, J., Goh, Y.Z., Hussain, N.A., Rajasegaran, S., Skanthakumar, T., and Miranda, A.V. (2023) Current landscape of climate change adaptation and health preparedness among indigenous populations in Southeast Asia. PublicHealth Challenges 2(129)
  11. Gostin, L.O., Chirwa, D.M., Clark, H., Habibi, R., Kümmel, B., Mahmood, J.,Meier, B.M., Mpanju-Shumbusho, W., Reddy, K.S., Waris, A., and Were, M.K. (2023) The WHO’s 75th anniversary: WHO at a pivotal moment in history. BMJ Global Health 8(012344)
  12. Mahmood, J., Hassan, M.K., and Muneeza, A. (2022) Internationalization of zakat to serve humanity in the midst of COVID-19: Using international organizations as intermediaries of zakat. Towards a Post-Covid Global Financial System, 105-127
  13. Mahmood, J., Rajaram, N., and Guinto, R. (2022) Addressing Food Insecurity and Climate Change in Malaysia: Current Evidence and Way Forward. MJMS29(6), 1-5
  14. Mahmood, J., and Guinto, R. (2022) Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health: Emerging evidence and call to action. MJMS 29(5), 1-4
  15. Mahmood, J., and Guinto, R. (2022) Lessons from Climate Reports for the Malaysian Medical Community. MJMS 29(3), 1-4

  16. Mahmood, J., Guinto, R.R., Lacey-Hall, O., Faiesall, S.M., Poppema, S., and Lee, E. (2022) Safeguarding planetary health for Southeast Asia's future children. The Lancet 6(4), 295-296Aruta, J.J., Guinto, R., Clements, G.R., and Mahmood, J. (2022) Protecting environmental defenders to prevent pandemics. The Lancet 6(6), 458-459

     

Book Chapter Publications

  1. Chapter title: Confronting our collective imagination: Reframing ASEAN’s shared future through planetary health
    Book title: ASEAN in 2025: Shaping a Sustainable and Inclusive Future