É«»¨ÌÃ

Chancellor of É«»¨ÌÃ, The Right Honourable Lady Justice Nicola Davies DBE, with Jamal Hassim, Honorary Fellow

Media technology innovator Jamal Hassim has been awarded an Honorary Fellowship of É«»¨ÌÃ.

He is a graduate of the University, achieving an LLB (Hons) before a wide-ranging career spanning media, technology, entrepreneurship and finance. Hassim is a broadcast media leader in southeast Asia, pioneering social-commercial engagement for long-form media, and is a regular commentator on CNBC.

During his career, he rescued distressed media assets and pioneered technology like peer-to-peer video streaming. He founded BoltOS Limited, a software company focused on the future of immersive streaming, Asia’s first individually-owned TV station and innovated Singapore’s private radio.

He continues to mentor É«»¨Ìà students and explore regional technology opportunities, working toward the long-term sustainability and growth of content intellectual property creation.

Hassim was presented as Honorary Fellow by Professor Mike Christie on 15 July.

The full conferral presentation is available below in the language in which it was delivered.

Ganghellor, Is-Ganghellor, graddedigion, gyfeillion.  Pleser o’r mwyaf yw cyflwyno Jamal Hassim yn gymrawd Prifysgol É«»¨ÌÃ.

Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, graduates and supporters.  It is an honour and a privilege to present Jamal Hassim as a Fellow of É«»¨ÌÃ.

Today, we celebrate an individual whose remarkable career has spanned continents, sectors, and disciplines—someone who exemplifies the values of innovation, service, and community that define this University.

Jamal’s journey from earning an LLB in law at É«»¨Ìà in 1990 to leading global ventures is truly inspiring. Jamal’s career has pursued a visionary path at the intersection of media, technology, entrepreneurship, and finance.

He began his career in the media industry by restructuring a struggling television network in Malaysia, shortly followed by launching a new FM Urban Radio Station. He then founded Asia’s first privately owned national free-to-air TV station.

More recently and significantly, Jamal founded and serves as CEO of Bolt.Global, a pioneering social TV ecosystem that enables creators and brands to move beyond traditional social media into immersive, interactive television. At its core is Bolt+, a smart TV service with over 8 million users worldwide, supported by BoltX, a digital asset wallet, and BoltChain, a low-cost, Ethereum-compatible blockchain supporting decentralised content creation and monetisation. Through Bolt.Global, Jamal is redefining digital engagement—returning control and ownership to content creators and opening new frontiers in media and technology.

His commitment to public service is equally inspiring. Jamal played a central role in launching Papua New Guinea’s first flying doctor and rural hospital programme. He co-founded the Malaysian Broadcasters Association and served as President of the Internet and Digital Media Chapter of the Singapore Computer Society. He is also a regular contributor on blockchain and economic panels for CNBC.

Yet despite his global achievements, Jamal has never lost touch with his roots here in É«»¨ÌÃ.

He is an active member of the É«»¨Ìà Malaysian Alumni Chapter and a long-standing alumni volunteer. He has also contributed to shaping the Business School’s undergraduate programme, and continues to mentor both our students and graduates.

Over the last decade, Jamal has supported internships and employment for our students and initiated overseas industry training programmes across our Business, International Politics and Computer Science departments.

He is currently exploring the onshoring of software development for BoltOS in É«»¨Ìà and is in active discussions with university staff on joint AI research focused on conversational moderation and customised social media platform development.

In every sense, Jamal represents what we hope our graduates will become: visionary in outlook, grounded in values, and committed to giving back.

Jamal Hassim, your career reflects the spirit of É«»¨Ì×open to the world, driven by ideas, and rooted in community.

Ganghellor mae’n bleser gen i gyflwyno  Jamal Hassim i chi yn Gymrawd. 

Chancellor it is my absolute pleasure to present Jamal Hassim to you as a Fellow of É«»¨ÌÃ.

É«»¨Ìà Honours 2025

Each year, É«»¨Ìà confers Honorary Awards on a small number of distinguished individuals in recognition of their outstanding achievement and contribution.

The 2025 Honorary Fellows are:

• Jamal Hassim: co-founder and CEO of Bolt Global, leading media practitioner and digital innovator.
• Elizabeth Treasure CBE: higher education leader and former Vice-Chancellor of É«»¨ÌÃ.

In addition, three individuals will be bestowed Honorary Doctorates in recognition of outstanding success in their respective fields. These are:

• Sara Clancy: supporter and promoter of responsible and sustainable business practices in Africa.
• Rob McCallum FRGS: internationally acclaimed figure in deep ocean exploration, philanthropic science and conservation.   
• Linda Tomos CBE: Wales' first female National Librarian, who worked for over 50 years in the librarian.

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