Dr. Saizal Pinjaman is a Senior Lecturer in Economics at the Faculty of Business, Economics and Accountancy, and the Director of the Centre for Economic Development and Policy, UMS. He holds a PhD in Financial Economics from UMS, a Master of Economics from UKM, and a Bachelor of Economics (Honours) from UUM.

His research and professional interests span financial economics, macroeconomic policy, economic development, regional trade, housing markets, renewable energy, governance, tourism economics and digital transformation. He has authored and co-authored numerous journal articles indexed in Web of Science and Scopus, including publications in Development Studies Research (Q1), Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies (Q1), Cogent Economics & Finance (Q2), and Economies (Q2). He has also contributed chapters to Scopus-indexed books published by Springer, Taylor & Francis and IGI Global, apart from authoring several books.

Dr. Saizal has extensive experience in policy research, consultancy and applied economic analysis. He has conducted research commissioned or supported by federal ministries, Sabah state agencies and industry organisations, including the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), Institute for Development Studies (IDS) Sabah, the Sabah Tourism Board, CTS Sdn. Bhd (Celcom Timur) and the MCMC. These projects have addressed international trade agreements (FTAs), rural digital connectivity, telecommunications infrastructure, tourism development, local economic planning, housing markets, and regional development.

Beyond teaching and research, he serves as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Economics and Business Case Studies, Co-Editor of the Malaysian Economic Review, and Editor of SN Business (Q3) & Economics and Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (Q1). He is also involved in postgraduate supervision, academic examination, and editorial work for several international journals.

His contributions have been recognised through the UMS Young Researcher Award in Social Science, the UMS Excellent Service Award, recognition as one of UMS’s top contributors of high-indexed publications, several innovation awards, and multiple best paper awards. He has also delivered keynote speeches, guest lectures, and research presentations across Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, China, and Australia.

He also hosts TV Teh Tarik, one of the leading economics podcasts in Malaysia, that reflects the expanding scope of his professorial career by connecting research, teaching, policy engagement and public communication. Through the podcast, he translates economic research and complex policy issues into accessible discussions, convenes academics, policymakers and industry practitioners, and strengthens the visibility and societal impact of university scholarship