About Me

Umar Zakir Abdul Hamid, PhD, EMBA
Future-ready business leader bridging mobility, tech, and international growth

Umar is a dynamic leader with deep roots in the automotive world and a sharp eye on the future. With over a decade of experience and strong networks across the EU, US, China, and ASEAN, he builds cross-border strategies that scale across emerging and mature markets alike.

At PROTON International (GEELY Group), he leads global expansion planning across 40+ potential countries, unlocking multi-billion-dollar export potential in both ICE and next-gen vehicles like BEV, HEV, PHEV, and REEV. He built the company’s first comprehensive export roadmap. Furthermore, he shaped new global operating models that became the cornerstone to the incorporation of PROTON International Corporation Sendirian Berhad, the first subsidiary of PROTON focusing on international business that supports the strategic internationalization transformation. He also drives execution through partnerships, global revamp of pricing, and market rollout for NEVs.

Before this, he helped ZEEKR enter Europe and scaled autonomous driving tech at Sensible 4, Finland, where he led product and engineering to support the company’s €20M+ growth. Umar blends Nordic tech precision with ASEAN momentum, creating repeatable international playbooks that connect business, technology, and policy.

With 30+ global projects under his belt, from driverless systems to digital ecosystems, Umar’s expertise spans SDV, ADAS, CASE mobility, and EV transformation. He has also served as Senior Lead Strategist at CEVT AB, where he shaped long-term product strategies for future vehicles.

Recognized globally, Umar received the SAE Young Industry Leadership Award in 2023 and the Finnish Engineering Award in 2020. He serves as Secretary of the SAE Cooperative Driving Automation Committee and is frequently invited to speak at global forums.

Beyond mobility, he brings strategic depth in market entry, product-market fit, and regulatory navigation, with a consistent focus on value creation and commercial impact. He holds a PhD in engineering and completed his Executive MBA in 2024 from the Gothenburg School of Business, Sweden.

Rooted in automotive, globally connected, and future focused, Umar is a next-gen business leader ready to shape what’s next.