BMS Mentoring

BMS Mentorship Programme 2025

Mentee recruitment has now ended, which means that the British Malaysian Society's annual mentorship programme held in collaboration with UKEC is officially underway!

This marks the beginning of an enriching journey towards professional growth and development. We are proud to boast a remarkably diverse pool of 26 mentors this year, with individuals hailing from engineering, law, business, accounting, finance, academia, real estate, biomedicine, creative arts, civil service and various other industries. Each mentor brings a wealth of expertise and experience, ready to guide our 31 student mentees to reach their full potential.

Here's to an empowering mentorship experience ahead.

About the British Malaysian Society

The British Malaysian Society (BMS) was founded in 1983 by the late Sir Donald Hawley KCMG MBE, British High Commissioner to Malaysia (1977-1981) to promote positive bilateral relations between the UK and Malaysia in trade and investment, travel and tourism, culture and education. Membership of BMS is open to anyone with an interest in or past or present connections with Malaysia.

BMS has Corporate Members based in the UK and Malaysia, Individual and Joint Members, as well as Student Members. BMS also liaises with the British High Commission in Malaysia and with the Malaysian High Commission in London and is often involved with receiving state and other delegations from Malaysia.

Throughout the year BMS runs a very lively programme of interesting business, educational, cultural and social events including a regular MAKAN Club where members visit different Malaysian restaurants in London. These BMS events for members and guests who attend are great for forging new friendships within very convivial settings and engaging with interesting professionals and businesses in diverse areas.

On the student side, BMS hosts a flagship mentorship programme, which is open to its Student Members. BMS also collaborates closely with the United Kingdom and Eire Council for Malaysian Students (UKEC) as well as individual Malaysian student societies.

The BMS Mentorship Programme

Running since 2019, our annual Mentorship Programme offers a unique opportunity for students to receive mentorship from experienced and successful professionals and business leaders who are BMS members. The ultimate aim of the programme Is to enhance each mentee’s career aspects and employability, as well as boost their professional network and skills development.

Mentees are able to learn from the personal experience of their mentors, who have successfully navigated their respective professional journeys. Mentees are thus allowed to gain first-hand tips and tailored guidance on how to carve out their own bespoke career path.

The programme officially commences at the start of 2025 and consists of up to six personal sessions with your dedicated mentor. The number of sessions will be mutually agreed upon between you and your mentor. You can have as few as 1 session or more than 6 if necessary.

Sessions will be scheduled at mutually convenient times and conducted either virtually or in person, depending on what you an your mentor agree upon.”

Who is Eligible to be a Mentee?

The Mentorship Programme is open to Student Members of BMS and BMS Members who are young people that have just started their career. Student Membership is only £10 per year for undergraduates and postgraduates during the duration of their studies and while they are looking for their first job (as opposed to the typical Individual Membership rate of £52 per year). To become a Student Member of BMS, one can do so easily via the BMS website.

Join Now!

Aside from being eligible for the Mentorship Programme, Student Members also gain the benefit of heavily discounted rates for all of BMS’ paid events.

What’s on Offer?

High Calibre Mentors: Be inspired by successful and experienced mentors, who in previous iterations of the programme have included trailblazers hailing from engineering, law, business, accounting, finance, academia, real estate, biomedicine, creative arts, civil service and various other industries. Past mentees have expressed that they were impressed by the stature and diversity of the pool of mentors and were excited to meet distinguished sector leaders whom they would not have otherwise easily had the opportunity to meet.

Guidance and Support: Receive personalised advice and tailored support, helping you navigate your individual career path or personal development journey effectively. Past mentees have noted that they were able to confidently and comfortably seek out assistance on areas of self-development which they wished to work out and discovered new unbeknownst paths for improvement.

Networking Opportunities: Build long-lasting connections within the professional community, expanding your network and unlocking new opportunities for growth. Past mentees have commented that they were still in touch with their mentors long after the formal conclusion of the programme.

Skill Development: Enhance your competencies and knowledge with targeted feedback and practical advice, accelerating your progress towards your goals. Past mentees have stated that they were able to work on a range of soft skills with their mentors, including public speaking, goal setting and career planning.

Bespoke End-of-Programme Event: Mentees who have duly attended each mentorship session with their respective mentor will be invited to an exciting end-of-programme networking event, during which they will have the opportunity to partake in interactive sessions and meet other mentors beyond the mentor which they were paired up with. Food will usually be served during the event. Past mentees have remarked that they have found the talks, sessions and networking opportunities on the day neatly complemented their learning from the rest of the programme.

Timeline of the Mentorship Programme

December 2024 – Recruitment for mentees commence.
January to May 2025 – Mentorship sessions take place (either in person or remotely).
June 2025 – End-of-programme event.

We hope that you will seize this one-of-a-kind opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.