Since 2010, Tan Sri Zakri has been Science Adviser to the Prime Minister of Malaysia. His other concurrent roles include: Joint Chairman, Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT); Chairman, Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation (BIOTECHCORP); Chairman, National Professors Council; Chairman, Board of Advisers, UNU-International Institute on Global Health and Pro-Chancellor, Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris.
From 2001 to 2005, Tan Sri Zakri co-chaired the UN's mega-study, "Millennium Ecosystem Assessment". He is the founding Chair of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and a member of the UN Secretary-General's Scientific Advisory Board. He sits on the Global Leadership Council of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).
Tan Sri Zakri's current interests lie in science diplomacy and science-policy nexus. He is the 2014 co-recipient of the Zayed International Prize for the Environment and recipient of the 2014 ASEAN Meritorious Service Award.
Three species have been named after Zakri: a beetle (Paleosepharia zakrii), a cicada (Pomponia zakrii) and a pitcher plant (Nepenthes zakriana)