KUALA LUMPUR: DATUK Noor Kamarul Anuar Nuruddin, formerly from Celcom (Malaysia) Bhd, has emerged as the top contender to be the new chief executive officer (CEO) of Telekom Malaysia Bhd.
Sources said in a final list of three candidates, Noor Kamarul, who was Celcom chief technology officer for about seven years from 2003, was seen to have the most potential based on his 34 years of experience in the telecommunications sector in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Many investors are looking forward to TM’s announcement of its top executive since Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced he had identified the candidate recently.
TM has had two acting top executives in the last 12 months, with the current being Imri Mokhtar. It was reported that TM chairman Rosli Man had refused to proceed with Imri’s appointment as the top executive despite the approval of the group’s special shareholder, the Minister of Finance Inc.
TM’s biggest shareholder is sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd, whose board is chaired by Dr Mahathir.
TM had, on May 31, told Bursa Malaysia that Rosli had received a request from the Prime Minister’s Office to defer Imri’s appointment.
Sources said Imri’s appointment seemed drastic given that he was appointed chief operating officer two weeks before being appointed acting CEO.
This hot seat has been vacant since Datuk Seri Mohammed Shazalli Ramly resigned as group managing director and CEO effective June 6 last year, followed by Datuk Bazlan Osman.
TM’s management had, several months ago, interviewed several candidates for the post. Besides Noor Kamarul, Burhanuddin Yusof and Dr Farid Mohamad Sani were also said to have been interviewed.
Noor Kamarul was Celcom chief technology officer from 2003 to 2010 before assuming senior positions with Celcom Axiata Bhd.
This included chief IT and transformation officer, chief carrier collaboration officer and chief special project officer, the latter position held from January 2015 to March last year.
His experience has seen him managing telecommunications networks and services in Malaysia and Indonesia with a focus on fixed networks, mobile networks and mobile broadband services.
He led the strategy, planning and implementation of projects ranging from greenfield network, 3G, 4G to merger of cellular networks.
Noor Kamarul, who was born in 1959, was a member of the senior management team in driving the turnaround of Celcom with 31 quarters of consecutive growth.
Industry observers said naming TM’s top executive fast would restore investor confidence, given its status as a public-listed company.
Putra Business School business development manager Prof Madya Dr Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff said it was important to announce the new CEO sooner to restore investor confidence as the company continues its restructuring to sustain its profits.
Bursa Malaysia will reopen today after being closed for two days for Hari Raya Aidilfitri.