Datuk Dr Halim, aged 61, a Malaysian, was appointed Non-Independent Non-Executive Chairman of TM on 31 July 2009. He graduated with a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) from University of Malaya in 1972 and obtained a Masters in Economic Development from University of Pittsburgh in 1980. This was followed with a Ph.D in Information Transfer from Syracuse University in 1988. In addition, he also completed professional courses in Systems Analysis and Design at the National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN) in 1976, Management Education Program at Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, India in 1977 and Advanced Management at Harvard Business School in 2000.

Datuk Dr Halim has served the Government in various capacities. He started his career in the Ministry of Education in 1972 followed by appointments at INTAN in 1976, Malaysian Administrative Modernization and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) in the Prime Minister’s Department in 1987 and was posted back as Director of INTAN in 1994. Datuk Dr Halim later took on the position of Deputy Secretary General 1, Communications and Multimedia Sector in 1999 before moving on to become Secretary General, Ministry of Energy, Water and Communications in 2000. He was appointed Chairman of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) on 3 April 2006, where he served until May 2009.

Over the last 15 years, Datuk Dr Halim has served on many boards, including Tenaga Nasional Berhad, Pos Malaysia Berhad and Multimedia Development Corporation Sdn Bhd. He is currently the Chairman of Universiti Telekom Sdn Bhd and GITN Sdn Berhad, wholly-owned subsidiaries of TM. He also holds office as a council member of the Malaysian National Computer Confederation (MNCC), Adjunct Professor of Universiti Utara Malaysia, Advisory Board Chairman of the National Library, Malaysia, a Director of Malaysian Electronic Clearing Corporation Sdn Bhd (a subsidiary of Bank Negara) and board member of the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT).