Munir appointed chairman of CIMB Asean Research Institute

PETALING JAYA (Jan 27, 2014): Tan Sri Dr Munir Majid (pix) has been appointed chairman of the CIMB Asean Research Institute (CARI) effective Feb 1, 2014, taking over from Glenn Muhammad Surya Yusuf, who will remain on the board of CARI.
In a statement released yesterday, CIMB Group said the appointment is for two years.
Mnir said the next two years are challenging as Asean seeks to become a community based on three pillars - economic, political and socio-cultural.
However, he said, although business people are most interested in the Asean Economic Community (AEC), even among them there is insufficient consciousness of the challenges - and opportunities.
"Governments in the region glibly declare progress towards the creation of the Asean community by the end of 2015 but there is a significant gulf between rhetoric and reality."," Munir said.
"CARI hopes to help narrow the gulf, fill in the gaps and highlight the opportunities - a huge challenge. It will do its best, not only through research products but also by supporting regional integration effort by bodies such as the ABC and the Asean secretariat," he added.
Established in 2011 by CIMB Group, CARI is a not-for-profit research unit that supports Asean economic integration, and the AEC in particular.
CARI is also the secretariat of the Asean Business Club, a network of leading Asean multinational Chief executive officers.