About Us - Setenang

Meet The Founder

“Leadership begins with how we handle ourselves — and how we relate to others.”

from Boardroom to Barn

Nurul Atiqah Anwar

Founder
Chartered Governance Professional
Chartered Secretary (MAICSA)
Equestrian Coach (FEI)
Social Impact Innovator

Setenang was born out of a deep concern: many leaders at the top are under pressure, emotionally fatigued, and disconnected – from themselves, their teams, and the values they once held.

Through her work with board members, CEOs, founders and aspiring leaders, Nurul Atiqah observed a common thread: organisational breakdowns often stemmed not from flawed strategy, but from ineffective interpersonal dynamics – an erosion of trust, empathy, and self-awareness in leadership.

Setenang is her response. A social mission initiative rooted in both personal and organisational development, that harnesses the silent, powerful presence of horses to help leaders pause, reflect, and grow — beyond KPIs and into human mastery.

It’s not therapy, and it’s not a retreat. It’s experiential leadership work grounded in neuroscience, somatic awareness, and the age-old wisdom of horse-human interaction.

Nurul Atiqah brings over a decade of professional experience advising purpose-driven organisations on ethics, strategy, and boardroom effectiveness. She is also a certified equestrian coach, having worked with horses — not just to ride and coach, but to observe how they mirror human behaviour with honesty and precision. Through Setenang, she invites leaders to lead differently — with calm, clarity, and conscience.

Subject Matter Experts

Dr. Alizi Alias is a Consultant Organizational Psychologist with over 20 years of academic experience and eight years in industry. His expertise covers organizational, applied, and Islamic psychology, with a strong focus on workplace wellbeing, mental health, leadership, and psychospiritual development.

He served for more than two decades at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), holding roles such as Head of Department and Deputy Director. He has also taught at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and other institutions.

An Accredited HRD Corp Trainer and author of the bestselling book PENAT, he regularly works with government agencies, corporations, and NGOs.

Dr. Asma Perveen is a clinical psychologist and academic with over a decade of experience in psychotherapy, teaching, and mental health consultancy.

She holds an MSc in Psychology, a Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Psychology, and a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Karachi, Pakistan. In 2025, she served as Assistant Professor at UCSI University and has recently received an academic offer from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).

She actively practices as a clinical psychologist in Malaysia and has published widely in human sciences. She is the author of the Gold Award–winning Emotional Competency Module and recipient of multiple academic excellence awards.

Coach Aqil Azwan is an equestrian professional with decades of experience as a competitive athlete, coach, and international official representing Malaysia nationally and abroad.

He is certified under the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) in General and Endurance disciplines. Aqil has served as an International Show Jumping Judge and National Endurance Judge and Steward across Asia.

Through structured, experience-based work with horses, he integrates experiential learning with psychological principles to cultivate self-awareness, emotional regulation, trust, communication, and decision-making under pressure, strengthening Setenang’s leadership and human development framework.

Dr. Shahla Ostovar is a psychologist and academic with over a decade of experience in higher education, research, and clinical practice.

She earned her PhD in Psychology from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), specializing in psychometrics, psychological assessment, positive psychology, wellbeing, and behavioral addiction.

She previously lectured at Payam-e-Noor University and currently teaches psychology and statistics at UCSI University.

With over 20 peer-reviewed publications, an H-index of 11, and 600+ citations, she is also a verified psychometrician and counsellor conducting wellbeing workshops.