Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif is the Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN‐Habitat), appointed by the UN Secretary‐General in 2017. Ms. Sharif is currently the Mayor of the City Council of Penang Island, Malaysia. Before her appointment as Mayor, she was the first woman to be appointed as President of the Municipal Council of Seberang Perai in 2011. As mayor, she leads the Municipal Council of Seberang Perai to achieve a “cleaner, greener, safer and healthier place to work, live, invest and play.”
Ms. Sharif began her career as a Town Planner at the Municipal Council of Penang Island in 1985. In 2003, she was promoted to Director of Planning and Development, where she was responsible for structure, local plans, and development control of Penang City projects. She also led the implementation of Urban Renewal Projects in George Town. In November 2009, she became the first General Manager to establish George Town World Heritage Incorporated and manage the World Heritage Site which was inscribed by UNESCO in 2008.
She holds a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Town Planning Studies from the University of Wales Institutes of Science and Technology, United Kingdom, and a Master of Science in Planning studies from the Malaysia Science University.