Nasir appointed CIMB group chairman
PETALING JAYA: CIMB Group Holdings Bhd has appointed Datuk Mohd Nasir Ahmad ( pic) to be the bank’s group chairman effective today following an approval it had obtained from Bank Negara.
Nasir has been part of the group’s board of directors since 2015 and has been its senior independent director since April 2016, a press release by the bank said.
“He is familiar with the group’s business and is well known to both CIMB’s internal and external stakeholders. As part of this appointment, Nasir will relinquish his positions as senior independent director and chairman of the audit committee,” CIMB said in its release.
“He will remain as a member of the group board of director’s audit committee, risk committee and group nomination & remuneration committee,” it added.
Nasir will take over the position from Datuk Seri Nazir Razak who retired yesterday, following his retirement which was announced Sept 24.
Nazir said in the statement: “Congratulations to Nasir whom I have known since the early 1990’s and greatly respect. I am delighted that following the 24 Sept announcement of my intention to retire, the board has been able to appoint my successor quickly from within the group board, and someone capable of taking over immediately.”
“I am, therefore, relinquishing all my positions in the CIMB Group with effect from today. Naturally, I will make myself available to assist the new chairman in any way to ensure a smooth transition,” Nazir added.
Nazir had served CIMB for 29 years, since 1989, including as its Group CEO for 15 years and as its Group Chairman since 2014.
Group CEO Tengku Zafrul Aziz said: “On behalf of the management, we would like to congratulate and welcome Nasir as the chairman of CIMB Group. We look forward to being guided by him as we start executing our next midterm growth plan in 2019, which will focus on, among others, our people, customers, digital and sustainability.”
“I would also like to record my personal gratitude to Nazir, whose strong passion for excellence has become part of CIMB’s culture, and whose legacy will continue to be reaffirmed in all CIMB’s future successes,” Zafrul added.
Nasir is a Chartered Accountant by training and a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, UK.
He is also a Council Member of the ACCA Global Council. He has 39 years of corporate experience through companies such as Tenaga Nasional Bhd, including in CEO positions at Syarikat Permodalan Kebangsaan Berhad and Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd.
He is the group chairman of Media Prima Bhd, as well as an independent director of CIMB Bank, Sirim Bhd and Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Bhd.
Chairperson of the group’s nomination & remuneration committee and representing the board Teoh Su Yin said Nasir’s corporate experience in various capacities and leadership roles, coupled with his three-year directorship on the CIMB Group Board will provide valuable guidance and continuity during this time of transition, and CIMB’s continued evolution. Teoh said the board looks forward to his stewardship as the group shapes its next mid-term growth strategy.
“The board would also like to record its deep appreciation to Nazir under whose tenure CIMB grew and became a leading Asean financial institution, and we wish him all the very best for the future,” Teoh added.