KUALA LUMPUR: A millenial of Malaysian multi-family private investment firm RHL Ventures has become one of the youngest persons to join the board of a company listed on any major US stock exchange.
Rachel Lau, co-founder and managing partner of RHL Ventures, was elected to join the board of directors of GNC Holdings Inc, the US-based leading global health and wellness brand listed on the NYSE effective January 22.
Lau reportedly is the daughter of the late Lau Boon Ann, who built his real estate empire by investing in companies such as Top Glove Corp Bhd.
Besides Lau, the partners behind RHL Ventures are the offspring of some of the country's “who's who” in the corporate scene.
Raja Hamzah Abidin is the son of former federal territories and urban well-being minister and Rasma Corp founder Datuk Seri Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, and Jo Jo Kong Chin Joe, whose father Tan Sri Kong Hon Kong founded Hong Kong-listed Nirvana Asia Ltd.
GNC Holdings said Lau’s appointment marks one of the youngest persons to join the board of a company listed on either the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock market.
It also said she was elected to join the board alongside Alan Wan, who is managing director of PINS Capital Group.
“As it is one of the world’s most prominent health and wellness brands, I am honoured and pleased to join GNC as its Board member,” Lau said in a statement.
She hopes her experience in Asian markets and the internet economy would help GNC grow.
According to GNC, Lau had led RHL Ventures since 2016.
She steered the firm’s operations in its pursuit of high growth capital investments in Southeast Asia.
Outside of her professional career, Lau serves as president of the Malaysian Gymnastics Federation.
“In 2018, Rachel was named as 50 People who are Redefining the Way We Live by Business Times Singapore and was selected as Milken Institute Young Leaders Circle, a non-partisan global think tank determined to increase global prosperity by advancing collaborative solutions that widen access to capital, create jobs and improve health,” GNC said.