Axiata Group Berhad has announced that its current Chairman Tan Sri Ghazzali Sheikh Abdul Khalid will step down in line with his planned intention to retire from the position end of the year.
He will be succeeded by Tan Sri Shahril Ridza Ridzuan as the Company’s new Chairman effective 1 January 2022.
Tan Sri Ghazzali was first appointed to the Board in 2008 and assumed the role of the Chairman of the Board following a short duration as Interim Chairman from mid-2018. Under his stewardship, Axiata expanded its footprint across 11 countries within ASEAN and South Asia, not just in its core business of mobile telecommunications but also that of telecoms infrastructure and digital businesses. He was also part of the founding Board that was responsible for shaping Axiata’s rise from its humble beginnings into a globally recognised MNC-quality institution.
Meanwhile, Tan Sri Shahril was appointed to the Axiata Board as an Independent Non-Executive Director in November 2021. Presently, he is a Non-Executive Director of Malaysia Airlines Berhad and Malaysia Aviation Group Berhad, where he chairs the Board Nomination and Remuneration Committee. He led Khazanah Nasional Berhad as its Managing Director, where he worked towards striking a balance between growing financial returns at the national sovereign fund whilst also ensuring long-term benefits for future generations of Malaysians.
He was the Chief Executive Officer of the Employees Provident Fund in 2018 and served as its Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Investment) for approximately three years. During this stint, he oversaw the successful digitisation of the fund and revamped the investment strategy which resulted in higher returns. Tan Sri Shahril was involved in the development of Kuala Lumpur Sentral into one of the main commercial centres in Malaysia as Group Managing Director at Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad.
Commenting on appointment Dato’ Izzaddin Idris, President & Group Chief Executive Officer said, “We are also very pleased to welcome Tan Sri Shahril as our next Chairman. We certainly appreciate his familiarity with Axiata’s businesses and at the same time, with his expertise, experience and extensive network of relationships, we look forward to the new insights and challenges he will inspire. As our businesses of digital telcos, digital businesses and infrastructure are positioned to drive and accelerate digital inclusion across emerging Asia, we look to the future with confidence guided by his leadership.”
On his appointment, Tan Sri Shahril said, “I would like to thank the Board for entrusting me with this appointment. The telecommunications industry is well-poised to serve the digital needs of nations and communities seeking recovery and growth in the post pandemic environment. It is an opportune time to position Axiata for increased value creation across the region. I welcome this opportunity to contribute and look forward to working with the Board and management towards continuing the good work by Tan Sri Ghazzali in future-proofing Axiata in sustainable and inclusive ways.”
