KUALA LUMPUR: DRB-HICOM Bhd has appointed Datuk Mohammad Zainal Shaari as its chairman, effective April 13, 2018.
In an exchange filing today, the company said Mohammad Zainal is currently the group managing director of Tradewinds (M) Bhd, a position he has held since June 2014. .
Prior to that, he was the executive director/chief operating officer of Khazanah Nasional Bhd the government’s strategic investment fund, between 2004 and 2013.
In the same period, he had served on various boards as a director on Khazanah’s stable of companies, inter alia, Proton Holdings Bhd (2004-2008) and Tenaga Nasional Bhd (2007-2014)
In the preceding years, Mohammad Zainal was at PricewaterhouseCoopers Malaysia from 1990 and held various positions at the accounting firm, including taking a two-year-stint at its San Francisco office, and was made a partner in 1997 before leaving in 2002.
“We are delighted to have Mohammad Zainal on the board as DRB-HICOM continues with its efforts to improve its core businesses. His leadership will not only help in reinforcing the direction of the group but also assist in strengthening its strategic focus.”
Pursuant to this appointment, Mohammad Zainal was also appointed as the chairman of Pos Malaysia Bhd, a subsidiary of DRB-HICOM.
In a separate filing today, DRB-HICOM also appointed Sharifah Sofia Syed Mokhtar Shah as the director of the company, effective April 13, 2018.
Sofia graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Economics from University of York, United Kingdom (UK) and obtained a Master of Science in Development Management from London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), UK.
Sofia started her career as a summer analyst in Morgan Stanley, Singapore, where she gained a sound understanding of the economic climate and political situation of the region.
Sofia was an External Consultant to Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation from October 2015 to May 2016, where she produced an integrated index to measure women’s empowerment and submitted a list of realistic recommendation on empowering women at various age groups.
Sofia joined Pos Malaysia Bhd as special officer to the chief executive officer from January to October 2017.