Born in North Wales and educated at Rydal School before studying Medicine at University College London. Completed House Officer posts in Medicine and Surgery at London and Glasgow teaching hospitals. Completed Senior House Officer training in Psychiatry on the Royal Free Hospital training scheme and gained membership of The Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Completed Higher Specialist Training in Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at The Tavistock and Portman Clinics alongside a Kleinian full training analysis.

Following his individual psychoanalytic psychotherapy training he then trained as a Group Analyst at The Institute of Group Analysis, London (IGA) and completed an MSc in Group Analysis at Birkbeck University for which he was awarded a distinction.

Dr Az Hakeem worked as a Consultant Psychiatrist  in General Psychiatry & Psychotherapy at Camden & Islington and in Forensic Psychotherapy at The Portman Clinic where he worked for 12 years until 2012. During 2012 he completed a one year sabbatical in Sydney, Australia.  He remains a senior lecturer in Psychiatry at the University of New South Wales. In addition to his clinical work, Dr Az Hakeem has worked as a consultant to the media on a number of TV programmes both on and off screen.

In 2011, in recognition of his contribution to Psychiatry Dr Az Hakeem was awarded Fellowship to The Royal College of Psychiatrists. In recognition of his contribution to Psychiatry and specialist Psychotherapy.

After over 15 years working in the NHS, Dr Hakeem now works exclusively in private practice and he was a Consultant at The Priory Hospital Roehampton for eight years.

In 2017 Dr Az Hakeem became part of The Shaw Mind Foundation for whom he is a Founder, Professional Patron and Ambassador. The Shaw Mind Foundation is an exciting mental health charity working synergistically with schools and workplaces along with other existing mental health charities to increase awareness and reduce stigma in relation to mental health.

2019 also saw Dr Hakeem’s appointment as Honorary Associate Clinical Professor at University College London (UCL) Medical School.