Zafri shares how the KTJ experience and perseverance paved his path from LSE to major success in multinational corporations like Amazon and Sky.
Working abroad is a dream for many—a chance to engage with a global community and prove oneself on the international stage. However, landing a job overseas is far from easy. Yet, Zafri Benjamin defied the odds, showcasing remarkable perseverance to achieve his goals.
After nearly 80 applications and a fiercely competitive job market, Zafri Benjamin finally found his first “yes” with Royal Mail. The company became a launchpad in his career, equipping him with essential skills and experience that eventually led him to Amazon and later Sky, a British broadcasting and telecommunications company, in London, England.
Luck is when preparation meets opportunity
At Royal Mail, he honed invaluable logistics skills, drawing on the expertise of the 500-year-old institution. But, when the Covid lockdown in 2020 triggered an e-commerce boom, his expertise became highly sought after.
“I joined Amazon during Covid,” Zafri recalls. ‘With everything shut, people turned to online shopping. E-commerce businesses were booming far beyond capacity. It was about being in the right place at the right time, seeing the opportunity, and saying yes.”
Amazon—the global e-commerce powerhouse founded by Jeff Bezos – has transformed online shopping through relentless innovation, sometimes sparking controversy along the way. What started as a modest garage project quickly became a billion-dollar empire, reshaping global markets with breakthroughs in technology, logistics, and customer service.
Drawn to this culture of constant reinvention, Zafri embraced the challenge, marking a significant step in his career before moving on to his current role at Sky.
Everything began at Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar (KTJ) in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, showing how resilience and persistence in the face of setbacks can pave the way to achievements on the global stage.
Journey begins in KTJ
Growing up with a British father from London and a Malaysian mother from Pahang, Zafri’s early life was a unique blend of two cultures. This background gave him a curiosity about different ways of life that would follow him throughout his personal development.
However, it was at KTJ where Zafri first learned to balance independence with ambition, setting a foundation that would guide him for years to come.
Arriving at KTJ at 13 years old, Zafri began to understand the community spirit that defined the school. “KTJ is filled with amazing people,” he says. “Everyone’s in the same boat, away from family, so we relied on each other for advice, guidance.” This community included friends, teachers, and housemasters who offered guidance and support, forming a “really tight…community”
It is at KTJ where Zafri believes he grew the most as an individual, not just intellectually but emotionally. The school encouraged his curiosity, and he began to explore what piqued his interests, what he was good at, and what he needed to learn.
Thanks to KTJ’s rich co-curricular activities, he dived into activities like Model United Nations (MUN), Forensics, and multiple sports, from swimming and cross country to athletics and rugby.
Each activity brought a new lesson. Through MUN, Zafri learned how to communicate clearly and understand how each country’s policies differ—a skill that would later help him in his career. “I guess I got a bit interested in knowing what life is like in the UK and other countries,” he explains.
In Forensics, he learned how to express himself creatively, while sports taught him resilience and teamwork through “team-building sports, such as football and rugby.” KTJ continually pushed him to “step outside of my comfort zone and constantly strive to be better.”
In his final year at KTJ, Zafri took A Levels in English Literature, Geography, and Economics. The application process, including his personal statement and university choices, was one of the most critical phases of his higher education pathway.
Being part of the KTJ community allowed him to approach this stage with strategy, drawing on advice from seniors and alumni. “And those guys are really deep into the process of applying to universities. They’ve done a lot of research that you would have to do, but you now have cut down a lot of the research time,” he notes.
“And also, you probably filtered out bad information from people that you trust. So within your community, everyone’s really helpful.”
KTJ’s teachers and seniors were invaluable resources during this time. “If you go to KTJ , the teachers are always there to help you with choosing unis, answering your questions, and writing a personal statement.” Zafri recalls that his personal statement went through “anywhere between 15 to 20 different reviews from different teachers at school. And these are people taking their time just for me.”
Thanks to this guidance, Zafri successfully gained admission to the London School of Economics (LSE), where a new adventure awaited. Reflecting on his time at KTJ, he describes it as the place where he was surrounded by driven peers and dedicated teachers who went above and beyond. “You see good role models…so you pick up these good habits…you can sort of choose which one you want to emulate.”
Studying in the LSE
At LSE, Zafri felt the excitement of being at one of the world’s top universities, where endless opportunities surrounded him. While KTJ had provided him with the foundation he needed, LSE exposed him to new possibilities.
Here, he was surrounded by ambitious peers aiming to enter fields like law, accounting, investment banking and politics. His curiosity about policies and their real-world implications grew deeper as he studied social policy, delving into areas like health and welfare.
He recalls moments on campus, where he encountered stalls set up by companies like Goldman Sachs and Rothschild. It was through these career fairs that he gained deeper insights into multinational companies. The people around him taught him how to be ambitious and dream bigger, further motivating him to push his limits.
Overcoming setbacks
Like many young graduates, Zafri faced challenges in securing his first job in London. “I applied to dozens of different roles,” he says. “You get a lot of no’s at the start” The first few rejections were tough, but Zafri maintained a positive outlook.
“You will sometimes get rejected, but each ‘no’ brings you closer to a ‘yes.’” He credits KTJ for helping him understand that setbacks are part of growth, which kept him optimistic during difficult times.
After numerous applications, he finally received an offer from Royal Mail. “I applied for the graduate scheme, which was a rotational scheme around Royal Mail where every six months I would move around to a different team, a totally different business unit, and learn about marketing, product development, sales, and international logistics.”
His final role there, as a solutions manager, involved developing bespoke solutions for high-profile clients like Nike and Adidas.
Landing at Amazon
Nearly five years into his role at Royal Mail, Zafri received a message on LinkedIn that would change his path. His skills caught the attention of one of the world’s largest e-commerce platforms.
He joined Amazon as a program manager at the height of the COVID pandemic when e-commerce demand was soaring. His role at Amazon involved designing and deploying cross-border supply chains—a task that required the precision, strategic thinking, and resilience he had honed at KTJ.
“I work with teams across…the globe, like teams in India, Turkey, the US,” he explains. The role is challenging and fast-paced, demanding skills from problem-solving to cross-cultural communication that he began developing at KTJ.
“You have to think about customs regulations, how to get shipments there as fast as possible, and work with legal and third-party carriers to ensure everything meets the business requirements.” Each day at Amazon presents new challenges, allowing Zafri to put his KTJ foundation to work.
Zafri’s ascend to Amazon and Sky is a testament to the power of persistence, a quality that has shaped his approach to both life and work. His experiences have taught him to embrace each challenge with an open mind, constantly seeking growth and learning.
Alongside this ambition, Zafri values the importance of recognising even the smallest achievements. “You will have small wins in life, and you may not realise them…making your bed can be a small win too, or getting to work on time can be a small win,” he reflects.
By celebrating these “small wins,” Zafri stays motivated and grounded, building his success step by step as he navigates new challenges and opportunities in his career and life.
