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The Marhaba Team

About us

With over 30 years of experience living abroad in the diplomatic world, the Fo'ad family discovered that Malaysia is a highly favored destination for expatriates and their families, both for leisure and more serious pursuits.

Expatriates often need support when moving to Malaysia to help them adjust to their new life. This includes educational needs for their families, accommodation for short, medium, to long-term stays, navigating government procedures and obtaining professional and business support. Additionally, accessing medical services can sometimes be challenging.

Marhaba Expatriate Living Services (Marhaba) offers wholesome support to expatriates and families before, during and even after their stay in Malaysia. Most advice is provided free of charge except for governmental and other administrative services, which are subject to mutually agreed fees.

Back Row - Left to Right:

Ahmad Feisal Fo'ad, 28: Director - Business Development: With international education in Khartoum, Geneva, Abu Dhabi, and Canberra, Feisal majors in tourism and has adequate customer service experience with Grab Malaysia and Sports Direct Malaysia. He is also a manager for an international E-sports team as well as co-founder of Marhaba Expatriate Living Services.

Farah Faiza Fo'ad, 24: Creative Director: Farah completed her primary education at the American International School of Abu Dhabi and graduated from Alfred Deakin High School in Canberra. She holds a diploma in Graphic Design from Inti International College Malaysia and Certificate in Digital Video Production from SAE Institute Brussels. She has adequate experience in design and photography.

Ahmad Iqbal Fo'ad, 26: Manager Administration: Finishing primary school at the American International School Abu Dhabi, Ahmad Iqbal graduated from the Alfred Deakin Highschool followed by college diploma at the Canberra College. He then did his degree in Marketing and Event Management.

Front row - Left to right:

Ainon Baba, Chairperson: As the patriarch of the Fo'ad family, Ainon is adept at juggling the many roles of family building while the family travels across the continents. She is very exposed to the women's wing of the diplomatic circle where they were posted and holds various office bearing position with the women's association of the Malaysian embassy she serves.

Mr.Fo'ad Ismail, Managing Director: With 36 years of diplomatic service experience in countries such as Thailand, Brunei, Sudan, Switzerland, UAE, Australia and Belgium/EU, Mr.Fo'ad is well verse in embassy administration, consular affairs and manages the people relations activities in the countries served. He is a marketing graduate by training. He is much experienced in protocol duties during state and official visits/ functions and communication between the government and the business community.

A close associate to Mr Fo'ad Ismail in foreign service and adjoining himself with Marhaba Malaysia upon his recent retirement, Mr Abdul Nasir has served prestigious Malaysian diplomatic missions abroad. His first diplomatic stint in Baghdad the mid 80s landed him with the ideal pre-war experience followed by postings to New York, Morocco, London, Abu Dhabi and finally the French capital Paris where his forte in operations management, consular affairs and matters of administration serves the right ingredient to cultivate market development for Marhaba Malaysia among diplomatic contacts abroad.

Marhaba speaks to the segment of society where influence works best with the right stature appeal.

In due time, more diplomats will be added to speak for Marhaba Malaysia, in the interest of the society it serves.

Associate in Arms

Mr. Abdul Nasir Ibrahim

Director- Market Development

Apart from his notable posting when he was Vice Consul (Administration and Consular Affairs) at the Consulate General of Malaysia in New York City, Iskandar was also assigned at other Malaysian missions in Caracas (Venezuela), Jakarta (Indonesia), London (United Kingdom), Islamabad (Pakistan) and Cairo (Egypt). He was among the frontliners in defining crisis such as the Arab Spring Egypt and humanitarian support for conflicts in Gaza and Libya. He count coordinating the deployment of medical personnel & medicines from Mercy Malaysia and the Red Crescent Society into Gaza via Rafah Border during Operation Cast Lead as momentous moments of his life as a Foreign Service officer.

Mr. Iskandar Harman

Senior Associate (International)

Chitra Palani is a full-time professional stocks & bonds trader based in Kent, United Kingdom. An MBA holder from the University of Coventry, she has been successfully trading in the global stock markets, namely NYSE, FTSE & JD since 2010. She currently has advanced into Stock Mentoring, serving her growing league of mentees primarily in the UK, Spain, Ireland, UAE and Singapore. As consultant and coach at many investor events, she shares her own retail investment journey including numerous training in this field of trade that translates into proven formulas to successful models of trading for those subscribing to her standing as consultant and mentor in the liquid landscape and background in stock and bond trading. With this professional background and appreciating her experience in retail management at Tesco UK, Marhaba Malaysia is proud to have Chitra as its first Marhaba Ambassador for the UK, Ireland and Spain market. Marhaba Malaysia appreciates the potential of these markets in welcoming more participation to living Malaysia for our selected brand of expatriates, with Chitra leading the fore the way she knows best.