Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (KWAP) announced the appointment of Zarina Halim as the new Chief Retirement Services Officer, effective 2 January 2024.
Zarina, with over 20 years of experience in Hektar Group, brings a wealth of knowledge in sustainability, having spearheaded Hektar REIT’s sustainability agenda, earning it a four-star rating on Bursa Malaysia’s FTSE4GD Index and various awards in Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”).
In her new role at KWAP, Zarina is set to fortify the institution’s sustainable retirement strategies, drawing inspiration from top global pension funds. With a focus on improving adequacy, sustainability, and integrity, she aims to elevate KWAP’s pension system and operations.
Zarina’s extensive background in customer-facing industries positions her well to enhance engagements with current and future pensioners. This aligns with KWAP’s goal to broaden its reach and enhance engagement initiatives for key stakeholders – Malaysian pensioners and derivative pension recipients.
KWAP’s CEO, Datuk Hajah Nik Amlizan Binti Mohamed, expressed optimism, stating, “With Zarina joining KWAP as Chief Retirement Services Officer, we hope to empower pensioners towards an ideal retirement. This appointment supports KWAP’s sustainable growth foundation, digitalization efforts, and KWAP Teras 5 initiative.”
In her new capacity, Zarina will lead the development and implementation of policies, strategies, and initiatives within KWAP’s Retirement Services Division. Her responsibilities include maintaining excellent retirement services performance and ensuring the highest standards in monitoring retirement services and customer service delivery.
As of December 31, 2023, there are over 790,000 pension recipients in Malaysia, 570,000 of whom are pensioners. KWAP actively conducts pension outreach programs like Jelajah MyPesara, providing advisory services on retirement aspects, including financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and healthcare. The annual Karnival MyPesara promotes a healthy and active lifestyle in retirement years.
Zarina, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Finance (Honours) from the University of Manchester and a Bachelor’s Degree in Law (Honours) from the University of London, is also a certified sustainability professional. Her appointment marks a significant stride in KWAP’s commitment to a robust and sustainable retirement ecosystem.
