Malik served as the United Kingdom Ambassador to Indonesia, ASEAN and Timor-Leste from October 2014 to July 2019,[3] and Director-General Africa in the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office from its creation in September 2020.

[4] In 2024, Malik published a paper with Lord Mark Sedwill and Tom Fletcher advocating for renewal of the UK's approach to international affairs.

Prior to joining the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 2014 as Ambassador, Malik held a number of senior positions at the Department for International Development (DFID).

[10] Malik was a founding member of the UN Secretary General's Advisory Group on the Central Emergency Revolving Fund as well as OECD DAC Peer Reviewer for Sweden.

[11] On leaving Jakarta, he wrote a "farewell letter" published in the Indonesian newspaper Kompas that was very widely read in print and online.

[13] At WRI, Malik has championed work on Asia, international finance, and equity in climate and development action and overseen organisational functions across the country network.