Key Speakers

Introducing the distinguished key speakers for IMLC 2026.

The Right Honourable Datuk Seri Utama Wan Ahmad Farid b Wan Salleh

Chief Justice of Malaysia

The Right Honourable Datuk Seri Utama Wan Ahmad Farid b Wan Salleh was born on 13 Nov 1962 in Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu. His Lordship read law at the University of West London and obtained his Bachelor of Laws (“LL.B”) degree in 1985, and subsequently obtained the Certificate in Legal Practice (“CLP”) in 1986. He was admitted as an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya on 6 Sept 1987.

Prior to his elevation to the Bench, His Lordship practised law in Terengganu and Kuala Lumpur.

His Lordship has served in all three branches of Government. In 2005, His Lordship served as a member of the Senate and was appointed Deputy Minister in 2008. During his tenure as Political Secretary to the then-Prime Minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, His Lordship was part of the team that advised the Government on the abolishment of the Internal Security Act 1960, which was subsequently repealed in 2012. His Lordship commenced his judicial career as a Judicial Commissioner on 16 Dec 2015 and was confirmed as a Judge of the High Court on 8 Aug 2019. He was elevated as a Judge of the Court of Appeal on 12 Nov 2024, and on 28 July 2025, His Lordship was appointed as the Chief Justice of Malaysia.

The Right Honourable Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury

International Judge, Singapore International Commercial Court, Supreme Court of Singapore; Former President, Supreme Court of the United Kingdom

The Right Honourable Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, International Judge of the Singapore International Commercial Court and former President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, will deliver the Keynote Address.

Lord David Edmond Neuberger of Abbotsbury, graduated with a degree in natural science from Oxford and worked at a merchant bank before entering Lincoln’s Inn and being called to the English Bar in 1974. His Lordship specialised in property law and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1987 and became a Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn in 1993.

From 1996 to 2004, His Lordship served as a Judge of the Chancery Division of the High Court. He was appointed a Lord Justice of Appeal in 2004 and a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary in 2007. He became Master of the Rolls in 2009, and was appointed President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom in 2012. He retired from that post in September 2017.

His Lordship has since practised as an arbitrator, mediator and legal expert from One Essex Court. He became a Non-Permanent Judge of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal in 2009 and an International Judge of the Singapore International Commercial Court in 2018. His Lordship continues to sit in both courts.

Lord Neuberger was Treasurer of Lincoln’s Inn in 2017 and was elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society in the same year. His Lordship is an Honorary Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. He was appointed Chancellor of the University of Law in 2018. He has received honorary doctorates from University College London, Queen Mary University of London, York, Exeter and Oxford. He is President of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law and The Academy of Experts. His Lordship is also a trustee of Mental Health Research UK, and patron of Prisoners Abroad and of Sapere, a children’s educational trust.

His Excellency Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Johari Abdul

Speaker, House of Representatives, Parliament of Malaysia

His Excellency Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Johari Abdul, Speaker of the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat), Parliament of Malaysia, will deliver a Special Address on the role and function of the House of Representatives in the current landscape of governance and legislative affairs.

Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Johari Abdul is the current Speaker of the House of Representatives. He was trained as a Malaysian Administrative and Diplomatic Officer (or Pegawai Tadbir dan Diplomatik) and served in numerous federal departments, including the Malaysian Students Department in Los Angeles, USA, the National Civics Bureau (or Biro Tatanegara) and the National Security Council.

Johari entered politics in 1992 and, in 1999, was one of the founding members of the National Justice Party (keADILan), which in 2003 became the People’s Justice Party (KEADILAN). In 2008, he was elected as the Member of Parliament for Sungai Petani and served until October 2022. He was the Party Whip for KEADILAN from 2013 to 2018. He was also the Chairman of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Security. Concurrently, he was a member of the Kedah State Legislative Assembly. He was Kedah State Leader of the Opposition from October 2022 until his resignation on 13 Dec 2022 to take up the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives on 19 Dec 2022.

Johari was also the President of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (“AIPA”) and served in this role until October 2025.

Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman (Rtd)

Former Judge, Supreme Court of India (2014–2021);
Former Solicitor General of India (2011–2013)

Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman (Rtd) will deliver the 7^th Raja Aziz Addruse Memorial Lecture. He is a renowned authority on the Basic Structure Doctrine, having recently authored a book titled The Basic Structure Doctrine: Protector of Constitutional Integrity (2025).

Justice Nariman, graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in commerce from the Shri Ram College of Commerce, University of Delhi. He then earned a first-class LL.B degree from the University of Delhi, where he was ranked second in his cohort. Justice Nariman then obtained a Master of Laws degree from Harvard Law School in the United States of America.

In 1993, Justice Nariman became one of the youngest ever Senior Advocates in India at the age of 37. He later served as the country’s Solicitor General from July 2011 to February 2013.

In July 2014, Justice Nariman became the fifth person in the history of India to be appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court of India directly from the Bar.

Justice Nariman has extensive experience in comparative constitutional law and civil law. He also established the Supreme Court Welfare Trust to support the welfare of lawyers and encourage young talent. Justice Nariman was also a member of the Supreme Court of India’s Mediation Committee.