Westport Group has announced the appointment of its Group Managing Director Datuk Ruben Gnanalingam 48, who is also the eldest son of the late Tan Sri Gnanalingam as the new Chairman.
Tan Sri Gnanalingam who was the founder and Chairman of the very successful port in Selangor passed away recently at the age of 78, the enigmatic leader who started the business was the director of the marine cargo handling company in, 2009, and was the executive chairman from 2013.
Taking over the helm as Chairman, Datuk Ruben Emir Gnanalingam Abdullah who was appointed as Director of the Company on 5 July 2005. He attended Victoria Institution between 1989 to 1993 and later, Eton College in the UK from 1994 until 1995. Datuk Ruben graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) Degree in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science, the UK, in 1998. He also holds a diploma in Port Management, awarded by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate. Datuk Ruben has also attended various Executive Education Programmes under the Harvard Business School, including the Senior Manager Development Programme and the Programme for Leadership Development.
Starting his career as a trainee in Westport in 1999 before leaving, Ruben set up a start-up incubator known as The Makmal Group in 2000 until his departure in mid-2005. He then re-joined the Company as a Director in 2005 and was later appointed as Chief Executive Officer on 15 January 2009, a position he held until 31 December 2017 before being appointed as the Group Managing Director for Westports Holdings Bhd on 1 January 2018.
Datuk Ruben is the Owner and Vice-Chairman of Queens Park Rangers Football Club, which participates in the English Football League (EFL). He is also a founder and Board Member of the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) which is a member of the US Major League Soccer (MLS). He also serves as an Executive Council Member of the Football Association of Selangor. He also founded and co-owns the KL Dragons, which participates in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL). Datuk Ruben serves on the Board of the ABL and is also a member of the NBA Junior Asia Advisory Board.
He was appointed as a Director of Bintang Capital Partners Berhad on 1 October 2018 and with effect from 1 January 2019, he was appointed to the Board of the Malaysian Productivity Corporation. On 1 September 2020, he was also appointed to the Board of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) as a Professional Representative. He was appointed as the Company’s Nominee Director to Port Klang Cruise Terminal Sdn Bhd on 23 September 2021.
