PETALING JAYA: Axiata Group Bhd’s president and group CEO Tan Sri Jamaludin Ibrahim’s (pix) contract, which was due to expire on March 2, has been extended to the end of the year, the group said in a statement today.
The group explained that the extension was done at the behest of the board to ensure a smooth and successful leadership transition.
Axiata board chairman Tan Sri Ghazzali Sheikh Abdul Khalid said the leadership transition is part of an institutionalised and multiyear succession process.
“This plan provides for a well-managed and smooth transition to ensure the continuity of leadership to achieve the group’s ambitious goals as we move forward with the execution of our digital transformation strategy,” he said.
Datuk Mohd Izzaddin Idris has been appointed as deputy group CEO and group CEO-designate effective tomorrow.
Under the transition plan, Izzaddin will report to Jamaludin in the interim and will take over as president and group CEO after Jamaludin steps down. Izzaddin is currently a board member of Axiata and has been redesignated as an executive director.
As deputy CEO, Izzaddin will oversee key corporate functions namely finance, strategy, marketing, corporate affairs, cybersecurity, privacy and trust, and ethics and compliance. In addition, he will be responsible for two of the three core areas, namely edotco, the infrastructure tower business, and Axiata Digital, its digital services business.
Izzaddin has served on Axiata’s board since November 2016, and was group managing director and CEO of UEM Group Bhd. Prior to that, he was the chief financial officer (CFO) of Tenaga Nasional Bhd for five years from 2004. He also held senior positions in other companies including as senior vice president corporate finance of Southern Bank Bhd, CFO of Ranhill Bhd, and chief operating officer of Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd.
Jamaludin said that after 12 years, he felt it was timely to pass the mantle of leadership
“Today marks the culmination of many years of succession planning led by the Axiata Board, to find the right person with the right background, experience and vision to lead Axiata in its next phase of growth in the digital era.
“Izzaddin is no stranger to the organisation given the strategic roles he has played to take Axiata to where it is today. We have worked very closely for some years, and I look forward to working together in the year ahead in achieving our ambitious goals with ‘Operational Excellence’ as the group-wide battle cry,” he said.
