Malayan Banking Berhad : Maybank Announces 2 New Board Appointments

Maybank has announced the appointment of two new independent directors to its Board, namely En Nor Hizam bin Hashim and Dr Hasnita binti Dato' Hashim.

En Nor Hizam, 67, is currently a Director of the Minority Shareholders' Watchdog Group (MSWG). He has 30 years working experience, including in finance, marketing and general management in three multinational companies, namely ESSO Malaysia Berhad (as accountant and financial analyst), Mamor Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Unilever Group (as Financial Controller) and Raleigh Berhad (as General Manager (Finance).

Encik Nor Hizam has also held various senior management positions, including Chief Operating Officer of Telekom Malaysia Berhad Group (TM), Chief Financial Officer of TELKOM SA Ltd, the largest telecommunications company in Africa and later as Chief Executive Officer of TM International Corporation. Between 2007 and 2011, he was appointed as an Expert Officer to the Public Private Partnership Unit and Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister's Department, and contributed towards enhancing value attributes in public-private partnership. He also served as Director of several subsidiaries of TM, TELKOM SA Ltd and its subsidiaries.

An accountant by profession and a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants, En Nor Hizam holds a Bachelor's Degree in Commerce from the University of Western Australia, majoring in Finance, Accounting and Economics. He also holds a Bachelor's Degree in Jurisprudence (external) with Honours from Universiti Malaya.

Dr Hasnita binti Dato' Hashim, 54, who is the second female director on the Maybank Board, brings 25 years of global financial management experience in the field of asset management, structured finance and asset securitisation. She is known to be a pioneer and innovator in Islamic finance and has extensive relationships with large investors and key business players particularly from the Gulf countries. She has been instrumental in the establishment of a joint venture operating lease company in the GCC, a Riyal 1 billion mortgage company in Saudi Arabia as well as a USD3 billion Islamic mortgage company in the United States in partnership with Freddie Mac.

Dr Hasnita currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Guidance Investments Sdn Bhd (an investment arm of Guidance Financial Group, a global investment company) with assets under management of around USD1 billion. In 1998, Dr Hasnita founded IslamiQ, the world's first online Islamic finance portal. From 1994 to 1998, she was the Chief Executive Officer of Commerce MGI Sdn Bhd, Malaysia.

Dr Hasnita holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Surrey University, a PhD in Nuclear Physics from Oxford University and is an Associate of the Institute of Actuaries, Staple Inn, London.

Maybank Chairman Tan Sri Megat Zaharuddin Megat Mohd Nor said the new appointments are part of the Group's on-going efforts to ensure the Board is equipped with the appropriate experience and diverse skills sustainably, also with the view to future succession planning. 'Our new board members bring new insights and will help inject fresh perspectives in guiding management to continue creating value for all our stakeholders. The appointments of a new lady member, Dr Hasnita, also reflect our strong commitment in supporting the Group's Inclusiveness & Diversity Agenda,' he said.