He previously served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs prior to the 2023 cabinet reshuffle from December 2022 to December 2023, non-independent and non-executive Chairman of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) from August 2020 to December 2022, Leader of the Opposition of Perak briefly from July 2018 to August 2018, 11th Menteri Besar of Perak from February 2009 to May 2018, Member of the Perak State Executive Council (EXCO) in the Barisan Nasional (BN) state administration under former Menteri Besar Tajol Rosli Mohd Ghazali from March 2004 to the collapse of the BN state administration in March 2008, and Member of the Perak State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Pangkor from March 2004 to November 2022.

He is a Supreme Council Member and the Division Chief of Lumut of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), a component party of the BN coalition.

[citation needed] Zambry obtained his early education in Pangkor Island and secondary schools in Sitiawan (SMK Sitiawan) before continuing his upper secondary education at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Panglima Bukit Gantang, Parit Buntar, Perak, a high school located in the mainland.

On May 22 2009, the Court of Appeal, in a unanimous decision, declared Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir as the rightful Menteri Besar of Perak.

Raus, in his oral judgement, also held that the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, was right in appointing Zambry as the new Menteri Besar under Article 16(2) of the Perak Constitution, after being satisfied that Zambry had the command of the majority of the state legislative assembly.

For the record, Sultan Azlan Shah himself was well-versed in law as he had served as Lord President of the Supreme Court from 1982 to 1984.

[7] The special award was presented to him as an exemplary leader in eradicating poverty in the state by setting up Yayasan Bina Upaya Darul Ridzuan (YBUDR).