KUALA LUMPUR: Iskandar Investment Bhd (IIB) is focused on building an ecosystem that highlights innovation and emerging technology known as the Iskandar NEXT (New Economy, Experience and Talent) to monetise its asset and generate revenue.
President and chief executive officer Datuk Ir. Khairil Anwar Ahmad said the initiative was in line with parent Khazanah Nasional Bhd's long-term strategy in Advancing Malaysia as well as Johor Vision 2030 and Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint 2021.
Iskandar NEXT is a platform for private-public partnership programme in bringing new digital economy, new business and living experience and new talent for emerging economy into Iskandar Malaysia.
"Within this umbrella campaign, IIB focuses in enhancing digital technology and talent development as well as upskilling and reskilling programme such as JDETT to achieve Johor Vision 2030 via ecosystem and community building," Khairil Anwar said in an interview with the New Straits Times.
He said Iskandar NEXT lent noteworthy support to Johor's digital economy agenda and played a significant role towards achieving Iskandar Malaysia's aspiration as a regional commercial and digital hub.
"This in turn would contribute towards greater socio-economic impact for Johor and the Malaysian economy in general.
"The successful implementation of Iskandar NEXT as an advanced digital ecosystem for next-generation technologies would contribute towards enhancing Iskandar Malaysia's brand as the region's commercial and digital hub at the southernmost tip of Asia.
"At the same time, it would spell success for Johor's digital economy aspirations and make the aspiration of 'Maju Johor' a reality," he said.
IIB has long been referred to as a catalytic developer in Iskandar Malaysia.
Khairil Anwar said the firm had played a significant role in ensuring that Iskandar Puteri developed into an inclusive and sustainable future metropolis.
The company is committed to continue the development of high-impact projects for six promoted clusters namely education, tourism and leisure, creative, healthcare and wellness, logistics and innovation sectors to cultivate an attractive investment destination while promoting a vibrant, liveable region.
IIB is evolving from a full catalytic developer to a commercially driven-company that is responsible in ensuring a healthy and harmonious development of Iskandar Puteri.
"In this regard, IIB had created a few ecosystem to host development for various industry players. The ecosystem includes the education ecosystem, tourism ecosystem and the Central Business District (CBD) ecosystem," he said.
Besides Iskandar NEXT, he highlighted that IIB's key developments and initiatives also included Medini CBD which was launched in 2007.
It houses several mega and catalytic projects that has catapulted Medini township to the centre stage including Legoland, Gleneagles Hospital Medini and Iskandar Malaysia Studios in close vicinity.
Educity Iskandar, which is focused in promoting quality education and IIB's environmental, social and governance agenda, Wawari, which highlights economic, environment and sustainability, are also notable key initiatives under the company.
Creating new economic activities for IIB
Khairil Anwar has helmed IIB for 15 years whereby he took on the challenge to evolve and transform IIB into a commercially sustainable company.
"I took this role at IIB's 10-year mark. At that time, the infrastructure for Iskandar Puteri had already been built and the community was somewhat matured. Therefore, moving forward at that time, I had to look at creating new economic activities.
"So we started looking at new business plan with new business model and new structure. The transformation is to ensure that IIB should cover business, social and environment sustainability, he said.
In comparison to 10 years ago, he said there were no plans in sight for IIB to venture into the business of innovation.
He said IIB was now involved with creating new ecosystem in Iskandar Puteri to adapt to the new demands in digital and emerging technologies such as blockchain, drones and robotics, smart cities and sustainable living.
"Iskandar NEXT is an innovative advanced technology platform initiated by IIB and its group of companies that would spur digital innovation, budding next-generation technology economic activities and talent development in Iskandar Malaysia.
"This initiative involves the development and promotion of a state- of-the-art digital ecosystem that facilitates entrepreneurship, knowledge-sharing and talent enhancement," said Khairil Anwar.
Future of IIB
Khairil Anwar underscored that IIB was actively bringing global players into Iskandar Puteri to spur the economy by creating jobs and provide platform for high technology collaboration and transfer thus creating new DNA for Iskandar Puteri.
IIB is also constantly looking at other megatrends that can add value to the positioning of Iskandar Puteri as a thriving economic centre that offers high value, high skills and high-income jobs.
"Some areas that we are actively looking at are healthcare and wellness, in particular aged care living, smart agriculture as well as renewable energy for smart township. As we are living in an era where digital adoption is high, it is inevitable that most of these megatrends have elements of advanced technology applied," he said.
Among new partnerships that the company is looking into are electric vehicle micro-mobility project with Hyundai, collaboration on renewable energy aspects with France and exploring opportunities on drone technology with Japan.
Khairil Anwar is hopeful that IIB will become an ideal destination of choice for global companies to set up their regional logistics hubs.
"IIB has collaborated with prominent industry players in various smart partnership to focus on the digital innovation, emerging economies, and talent development in Iskandar Puteri.
"These will attract local and international businesses to set up and invest in Iskandar Malaysia, thus contribute to the job creation, bring economic growth, and reinstate investors' confidence in Johor," he said.