Board of Directors
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The Board is responsible for the overall corporate governance of the Group and its strategic direction. The Board has delegated specific responsibilities to four (4) main committees namely the Audit and Risk Management Committee (“ARMC”), Remuneration Committee, Nomination Committee and the Strategic Planning & Oversight Committee which are guided by the Terms of Reference approved by the Board. The ultimate responsibility for the final decisions on all matters lies with the Board.
Board of Directors
Adjunct Professor
Subramanian Amamalay
Non-Independent Non-Executive Chairman
Adjunct Professor Subra, was appointed to the Board on 11 April 2022. He was redesignated from Non-Independent Non-Executive Director to Non-Independent Non-Executive Chairman on 4 January 2023.
Adjunct Professor Subra has worked with the industry upon completing his studies from University Sains Malaysia and followed by a Master’s and Doctorate in Business Administration from Asia Metropolitan University. He has also acquired professional qualifications such as Certificate in Training Practice from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), UK and has achieved membership with CIPD, UK. He has also obtained his Accredited Competency Professional from Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) UK. Adjunct Professor Subra is a qualified auditor of the International Register of Certified Auditors (IRCA) and certified in Total Quality Management and Strategic Planning. He is also a certified Trainer with HRDF Malaysia and an SMR accredited trainer besides being qualified to use the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). He has also joined Senior Management Leadership Development program at the Harvard Faculty Club, Harvard University, Boston, USA.
Adjunct Professor Subra has over thirty years of management and leadership experience in a wide range of organisations from Finance, Education to Consulting. He has travelled extensively in Asia on business assignments. He has led and delivered consulting assignments for large GLCs and MNCs in designing, developing and implementing competency framework as well as Talent Development across Asia and the Middle East, including Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Sudan, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Adjunct Professor Subra’s working experience includes working at the then Ministry of Social Welfare, Government of Malaysia, MBf Finance, Taylors Education and the SMR Group. He was an Executive Director for Asiamet Education Group Berhad from 4 November 2015 to 21 September 2018. He is currently the Chairman and Director of N’osairis Technology Solutions Sdn Bhd.
Adjunct Professor Subra has no directorship in any other public listed company.
Tan Sri Dato' Dr
R. Palan
Non-Independent Non-Executive Director
Tan Sri Dato’ Dr R Palan was appointed to the Board on 13 August 2004. He was redesignated from Executive Chairman to Non-Independent Non-Executive Chairman on 12 November 2021 and to Non-Independent Non-Executive Director on 4 January 2023.
A lifelong learner, he completed his PhD (Education) at the Federation University, Ballarat, Australia, and the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School besides his other numerous educational achievements. He has authored numerous articles and books including his 21st book, the ‘The Thought Leader’s Playbook: Essential Business Lessons’ published in 2024. More details about Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Palan can be found at www. palan.org.
A lifelong entrepreneur, he has been deeply passionate about building and growing businesses. He has also worked with numerous organisations in different countries. Currently, he serves as the Pro-Chancellor of University of Cyberjaya (UoC). He is also a non-independent non-executive director of Cyberjaya Education Group Berhad besides serving as a Visiting Professor at his almae matres, the Federation University and the Madras School of Social Work.
A lifelong advocate of giving back to society, he founded Yayasan Palan to support Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. His voluntary contributions include serving on the boards of nonprofit
organisations, both governmental and private. He was recently appointed by the Honourable Minister of Education to serve as a member of the committee advising on the development of the new Malaysian Higher Education Blueprint 2025-2035.
Tan Sri Dato’ Dr R Palan sits in the board of Cyberjaya Education Group Berhad.
Mr. Maha Palan
Group Managing Director
Mr. Maha was appointed to the Board on 23 July 2018. He was redesignated from Non-Independent Non-Executive Director to Executive Director on 1 July 2021 and to Group Managing Director on 12 November 2021.
Mr. Maha has a Masters in Risk Management & Financial Engineering from Imperial College London and a Bachelors (Hons) in Chemical Engineering from the University of Manchester.
Mr. Maha joined the board in 2018 as SMRT operated a diverse set of organisations but remained loss-making to develop and lead the Strategic Turnaround Plan. Within three (3) years (and in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic), Mr. Maha had successfully transformed the Group into a leading regional Internet-of-Things (IoT) company with SMRT returning to profitability in FY2021. Following this, Mr. Maha was appointed as Group Managing Director to lead the Group further to meet its future growth and transformation goals, with earnings and market capitalisation reaching all-time highs.
Mr. Maha also serves as the Group Managing Director of Cyberjaya Education Group Berhad (“CYBER”), amongst Malaysia’s largest health sciences higher education platforms that offers accessible
pathways to future careers. CYBER also works with many charitable foundations to further support improving access to Education for the underprivileged. Mr. Maha is also a co-founder of the Palan Foundation, a registered non-profit organisation committed to improving the educational attainment of young disadvantaged individuals.
Prior to joining SMRT, Mr. Maha has served in investment-focused roles in firms including British Petroleum Plc and Piton Capital LLP. During his tenure with these firms, he has invested in and helped grow a diverse range of companies that amongst others allowed for equitable access in market participation and improved the interoperability of energy infrastructure.
Mr. Chu Kheh Wee
Executive Director
Mr. Danny Chu was appointed to the Board on 31 December 2019.
Mr Danny Chu received a diploma in cost accounting from the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) in 1990. Mr Chu was admitted as a registered accountant and a chartered accountant of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) in December 1999 and June 2001, respectively, an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) in August 1996 and a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) in May 2011.
Mr Danny Chu founded Executive Prosight Resources (“EPR”) in February 2011 for the purpose of providing business, corporate advisory and employment services. He has recorded numerous
successful corporate exercises in the country such as Corporate Structuring, Initial Public Offering (“IPO”) and Merger & Acquisition (“M&A”).
Mr Danny Chu also has vast experiences during his employment journey, specialising in finance and corporate reporting, corporate restructuring and various fund raising activities, covering various
industries from manufacturing, property development and construction industries. From October 2007 to October 2008, Mr Danny Chu worked for D’Tiara Corp. Sdn. Bhd., being a company engaging in investment, development and sale of properties and resorts, as the chief financial officer and was responsible for the proposed listing application of such company on the Alternative Investment Market (currently known as AIM) of the London Stock Exchange. From October 2004 to September 2007, Mr Danny Chu worked for Oil-Line Engineering and Associates Sdn. Bhd., being a subsidiary of OilCorp Berhad, as a senior manager and was responsible for advising on corporate finance matters of the aforesaid company. From May 2002 to September 2004, Mr Danny Chu worked for Tenaga Nazar (M) Sdn. Bhd., being an affiliated company of OilCorp Berhad (a company engaging in the provision of engineering, procurement, construction, technical and contract related services in Malaysia, the Middle East and the ASEAN countries), as a senior manager of corporate finance and
was responsible for managing corporate finance matters of the aforesaid company. Mr Danny Chu was also responsible for managing the financial affairs for other companies namely Worthy Builders Sdn. Bhd., Chase Perdana Berhad and Golden Plus Builders Sdn. Bhd.
Mr. Danny Chu sits in the board of Heng Hup Holdings Limited, a Main Board listed company at Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Ms. Lim Kwee Yong
Independent Non-Executive Director
Ms Lim has vast experiences during her employment journey, specialising in financial management, treasury, internal control and risk management, covering various industries from renewable energy, waste management and Oil & Gas Pipe Coatings and Pipeline manufacturing industries. From January 2014 to August 2018, Ms Lim worked for Cenviro Sdn Bhd, being a company engaged in provision of integrated waste management treatment, as the chief finance officer and was responsible for the financial and treasury management, risk management, procurement and Management Information System departments of the Company. From October 2008 to December 2013, Ms Lim worked for Wasco Energy Group of Companies, being a subsidiary of Wah Seong Corporation Berhad, as a Head of Finance, Pipeline Services Division and was responsible for all financial management and reporting matters as well as investment appraisal matters of the aforesaid company. On March 1995,
Ms Lim initiated her working career with Pricewaterhousecoopers (“PWC”) as Audit Associate and she left PWC in April 2008 with her last position held as Senior Audit Manager. Ms Lim is currently the Executive Director cum Chief Finance Officer of Econas Sdn Bhd, a company engaged in provision of consultancy services in waste management and renewable energy services. She is responsible for all financial strategies and management, internal control and corporate governance matters in the said company.
Ms Lim has no directorship in any other public listed company.
Ms. Ng Kit Ching
Independent Non-Executive Director
Ms Ng was appointed to the Board on 5 August 2020. She was appointed as the member of the Audit and Risk Management Committee, Nomination Committee and Remuneration Committee of the Company on 5 August 2020.
Ms Ng received her Master of Science (Blockchain and Digital Currency) from the University of Nicosia, Cyprus in year 2023. She also has a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance and Marketing) from
Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia in year 1997.
Ms Ng has vast experiences in digital transformation especially in the financial service sector. Her last 2 assignments as CEO of NEM Malaysia and Razer Fintech has brought her insight into the fintech industry. She also has over 25 years’ experience in the financial services and technology sector. Her senior level assignments include leading blockchain layer 1 protocol companies in business transformation, applying and obtaining fintech operating licenses in new countries for expansion, setting up of financial services call centres, overseeing the card business regionalisation
programmes, creating alliances with synergies for organisations and providing consultancy to the C-suites. Ms Ng loves to share her passion for business through her roles as investor and active
business consultant to various start-ups. She is very attached to her values and believes strongly in economic empowerment through business and investing in the youth by helping them to maximise their potential. In recognition of her contribution to women in tech space, Ms Ng was also recently awarded the Global Women Empowerment Icon of 2023 for being an Exceptional Woman in Blockchain.
Ms Ng is currently the Co-founder to a game development company that helps businesses’ digital customer engagement and a blockchain based self-sovereign identity project for the future of ID data management.
Ms Ng has no directorship in any other public listed company.
Ir Hjh
Kamaliah Binti Abdul Kadir
Independent Non-Executive Director
Ir Hjh Kamaliah was appointed to the Board on 5 April 2024. She was appointed as the member of the Audit and Risk Management Committee, Nomination Committee and Remuneration Committee of the Company on 5 July 2024.
Ir Hjh Kamaliah embarked on her academic journey in the United Kingdom, earning an Ordinary National Diploma from Brighton Technical College in 1980. Subsequently, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering & Applied Science from the University of Sussex, United Kingdom in 1983. Her commitment to lifelong learning continued with a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Malaya in 1997.
Ir Hjh Kamaliah’s professional journey is complemented by a range of certifications and memberships, including being a Professional Engineer recognised by the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) and
Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) in 1997, as well as a Certified Energy Manager recognized by ASEAN Energy Management Scheme (“AEMAS”) in 2015. She also holds the ISO 9001 Lead Auditor certification in year 1999, showcasing her commitment to quality standards. Additionally, Ir Hjh Kamaliah has honed her leadership skills through the Boardroom Essentials Soft Skills and Board Simulation program by Lead Women Supporting Diversity Leadership.
Ir Hjh Kamaliah was conferred with the medal Johan Mahkota Wilayah by the King of Malaysia, in year 2010, being recognition of her contribution to society.
Ir Hjh Kamaliah an Electrical Engineering with a range of exposure in the country’s power industry, previously served on the boards of TNB Research Sdn. Bhd. and TNBES Sdn. Bhd., wholly-owned subsidiaries of TNB, contributing to strategic decision-making and governance since March 2014 and April 2014, respectively. She was retired in February 2021. Her illustrious career has been marked by transformative leadership roles, strategic contributions, and a commitment to excellence in every facet of the utility sector.
Ir Hjh Kamaliah has no directorship in any other public listed company.