Talent Corporation Malaysia Bhd (TalentCorp) has announced the appointment of Edward Ling as its new Group Chief Executive Officer, effective 4 November 2025, following the completion of Thomas Mathew’s tenure.
Thomas, who helmed TalentCorp since 2020, oversaw a period of renewal that strengthened governance, institutional frameworks and the agency’s financial sustainability. Under his leadership, TalentCorp evolved from a programme-based agency into a policy enabler and strategic think tank under the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA).
Among the key achievements during his tenure were advancing Malaysia’s future skills agenda through MyMahir and the establishment of the International Labour Organization-recognised Future Skills Talent Council, as well as driving innovation through reforms such as the Xpats Gateway, MyNext and MyHeart platforms. The agency also launched the world’s first Expatriate Services Centre at KLIA, recognised by the Malaysia Productivity Corporation in 2024 for expediting employment pass approvals.
Chair of TalentCorp Wong Shu Qi said, “Thomas Mathew’s leadership over the past five years has been instrumental in restoring TalentCorp’s credibility and impact. He transformed the organisation into a forward-looking, data-driven and financially sustainable agency that plays a central role in shaping Malaysia’s workforce strategy. On behalf of the Board, I thank Thomas for his commitment and service.”
She added, “We warmly welcome Edward Ling as he leads TalentCorp into its next chapter.”
Minister of Human Resources Steven Sim Chee Keong said Thomas had built a strong institutional and strategic foundation that would enable TalentCorp to continue shaping Malaysia’s talent and skills agenda.
“I believe TalentCorp will be able to combine industry expertise with policy insights to forge stronger ties between Government and industry, ensuring Malaysia’s talent strategies remain aligned with both national and global economic needs,” he said.
Edward brings over two decades of experience in business transformation, digital innovation and strategic partnerships across multinationals including LinkedIn, Waze, Google and L’Oréal Malaysia. His previous roles at Doctor Anywhere, Yinson Capital and Fujitsu Malaysia saw him lead initiatives to strengthen digital capability, ecosystem development and workforce competitiveness.
TalentCorp said with Edward’s appointment, it aims to accelerate Malaysia’s talent transformation agenda through closer collaboration between industry, government and international partners.
