After decades of shaping her career across Malaysia and the United Kingdom (UK), Siti Hurrairah Sulaiman has returned to drive meaningful change in Malaysia’s energy landscape.
As the first woman to serve as Country Chair and Senior Vice President Upstream at Shell Malaysia, she brings home a wealth of global experience, now channeled into developing Malaysian talent, accelerating innovation and driving a more sustainable energy future. Her journey stands as a powerful testament to resilience, purpose and the belief that with unwavering determination, nothing is impossible.
New Beginnings Abroad
Siti Sulaiman on site
Originally from Kuching, Sarawak, her journey abroad began when she received a Shell scholarship that took her to the United Kingdom to pursue her A-Levels and later Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London. “Receiving the offer felt like a dream,” she recalls. “Leaving home at a young age taught me independence early and broadened my worldview significantly.”
After graduating, she returned to Malaysia to begin her career with Sarawak Shell Berhad in Miri. “Those early years grounded me deeply in upstream operations,” she shares. In 2001, Siti made her first professional move to Aberdeen, Scotland as a Development Planner and later in 2015, she moved to London to join Shell Trading and Supply as General Manager for Global Operations Commercial Services. Each move expanded her strategic thinking and strengthened her ability to lead across different cultures and business landscapes.
Growing Through Global Exposure
Siti Sulaiman during a global assignment
Siti’s years in the UK shaped her into a more confident and direct leader, one who stays focused on outcomes while valuing diversity and inclusion. Working across different cultures taught her to lead with clarity while adapting quickly in uncertain situations and making sound decisions even with limited information. These lessons continue to influence Siti’s leadership approach and the way she develops others today.
Adjusting was not always easy. “Being far from home and often the only Asian woman in the room was challenging,” she says. Nevertheless, openness, curiosity and authenticity helped her thrive. She developed a leadership approach that values both performance and people.
A Call Home
Watch Siti Sulaiman’s Interview Here
The decision to return to Malaysia was both personal and professional. During COVID-19, Siti could have stayed in the UK or moved to Singapore for a new role. Instead, she chose to come home and continued taking on regional and global roles from Kuala Lumpur. “Personally, during COVID, being home mattered. Having family and domestic support around me made a huge difference at a time when everything felt uncertain,” she shares.
MyHeart’s Returning Expert Programme (REP) provided financial and administrative support that made it more compelling to return, easing her transition while reinforcing the value of bringing her global experience home.
Integrating Global Insights Into Leadership
Siti Sulaiman as a panel speaker
Siti’s first day back in Malaysia was an energising return; one that began almost instantly with regional and global responsibilities. Drawing on the cultural insights she gained abroad, she brought with her a leadership approach defined by open dialogue, constructive challenge and clarity in decision‑making. Siti then blended these with Malaysia’s strengths of empathy, teamwork and deep relationship‑building, forging a leadership style that is both globally informed and authentically local.
Navigating a male‑dominated sector has strengthened her belief in the power of authenticity, vulnerability and creating environments where people feel they truly belong. Siti encourages young leaders to anchor themselves in purpose, stay curious, build psychological safety and balance empathy with accountability, qualities she believes are essential for the next generation of leaders.
The capabilities she built overseas now underpin her leadership in Malaysia, where she manages critical assets, leads global teams and continues to advance diversity and inclusion.
Looking Ahead
Siti Sulaiman At the Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal
Having returned to Kuala Lumpur, Siti leads with purpose while striving for excellence, uplifting young leaders and inspiring innovation that moves the energy sector forward. Personally, she continues to strengthen her resilience and welcomes new experiences with her family, carrying with her a spirit of curiosity and optimism.
“Returning home allows you to apply what you’ve learned abroad to make a tangible difference,” she says. REP not only eases the transition but helps returning professionals feel valued for their global experience.
From leading international operations to now shaping Malaysia’s energy future, Siti Sulaiman exemplifies the impact of bringing global experience home.
If you are considering making the move back to Malaysia, your journey can be meaningful and smoother with programmes like the Returning Expert Programme (REP), only on MyHeart.
