KUALA LUMPUR: Rafizi Ramli, who capped a return to politics with an appointment as economic affairs minister, is an expert in dissecting data.
This is expected to hold him in good stead in his new role in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's cabinet.
Rafizi, 45, was born in Besut, Terengganu on Sept 14, 1977.
He went to SR Sultan Ismail, Kemaman before enrolling in Malay College Kuala Kangsar.
Rafizi took A levels at Morrisons Academy in Scotland before doing a degree in electrical and electronics engineering at the University of Leeds in England.
He began his career at Jeffreys Henry Chartered Accountants in London in 1999.
He was accepted as a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales in 2003, and as a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants in the same year.
Rafizi served in Petronas Malaysia Sdn Bhd as a manager in the Propane Dehydrogenation Plant division before being promoted to senior manager (Business Planning, Operations and Petrochemical Technology).
He was senior manager (Accounting, Budgeting and International Taxation) at Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd from 2007 to 2009.
He became general manager of Pharmaniaga Bhd in 2009, then chief executive of the Selangor Economic Advisory Office until 2012.
He also founded a non-profit company, Invoke.
Rafizi contested and won the Pandan parliamentary seat in the 13th General Election in 2013.
He was disqualified from contesting GE14 after being found guilty by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court of disclosing banking information.
In the same year, he lost to Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali in the election for the PKR deputy president's post. However, he was appointed a party vice-president.
He took a break from politics after that.
He made a return this year, successfully contesting the party deputy presidency in July.
He won the Pandan parliamentary seat in the 15th General Election. — BERNAMA