Kwasa Land, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), has named Michael K.C. Yam as its Chairman effective June 1, following the retirement of Samsudin bin Osman. Prior to the appointment,Michael K.C. Yam was a Member of the Board of Directors for Kwasa Land, a position he held since March 2011.
His illustrious career spanning more than 35 years in the construction, real estate and corporate sectors, has seen him spearheading leading positions in two award-winning public listed property companies, Sunrise Berhad (now known as UEM Sunrise Berhad) and Country Heights Holdings Berhad, in addition to renowned companies such as Landmarks Berhad and Peremba Malaysia.
In these capacities, he led the development and management of integrated and township mixed developments, hotels, resorts, shopping malls, golf courses and international schools in Malaysia, Australia, UK, Mauritius and South Africa.
Commenting on the new role, Yam said, “I am honoured to be appointed the Chairman of Kwasa Land and excited to work continuously with the team to chart new goals and explore opportunities for growth for the unique mixed township development that is Kwasa Damansara. As the last prime land and strategically located greenfield site in Klang Valley, the development seeks to deliver significant economic and social benefits for residents, visitors and the surrounding communities.”
Hafiz Kassim, Managing Director of Kwasa Land said, “Kwasa Land is pleased to have Datuk Seri Michael K.C. Yam as our Chairman. Having such a deep experience in real estate development, he brings the right mix of expertise and depth crucial to steer our efforts to realise Kwasa Damansara’s goal to be a green, connected and inclusive township.”
Yam is currently the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Impetus Alliance Advisors Sdn Bhd, a corporate and project management advisory firm he founded in 2008. He is also the Chairman of InvestKL Corporation and Past President and Patron of the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association of Malaysia (REHDA). He was appointed a Member of the Advisory Board of the City of Kuala Lumpur from 2008 to 2014 and also a Member of the National Key Economic Area (NKEA) steering committee for the transformation of greater Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley from 2011 to 2014.
He is currently the Senior Independent Director of Bursa Listed Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad and Paramount Corporation Berhad and also an Independent Non-Executive Director of Cahya Mata Sarawak Berhad and Standard Chartered Saadiq Berhad. He is a Trustee of Standard Chartered Foundation and Trustee of the Chartered Institute of Building where he serves as its Global Vice President.
Trained as a building engineer in the UK, Yam graduated in Building and Management Studies from the University of Westminster in UK and subsequently professionally qualified as a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building. He was named Malaysia’s CEO of the Year 2002 and was conferred an Honorary Fellowship of the Construction Industry Development Board in 2015 and an Honorary Member of Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents in 2017
