Minister in the Prime Minister's Department
Malaysia
(nominated for his role as President & CEO of Malayan Banking Berhad)
Dato' Sri Abdul Wahid Omar, aged 49, was appointed as a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of Economic Planning on 5th June 2013. He oversees a number of government agencies such as Economic Planning Unit, Public-Private Partnership Unit (UKAS), Department of Statistics, Ekuiti Nasional Berhad (EKUINAS) and Talent Corporation (TALENCORP), TERAJU and Yayasan Pendidikan Peneraju Bumiputera. Prior to his cabinet appointment, Dato' Sri Abdul Wahid was formerly the President and CEO of Maybank, Malaysia's largest banking group and the fourth largest in Southeast Asia, from May 2008. He was also the Chairman of The Association of Banks in Malaysia. He is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (UK) and a Member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants.
Maybank is the third large organisation that he has led as CEO. Prior to joining Maybank, he was Group Chief Executive Officer of Telekom Malaysia Berhad from July 2004 until its demerger with Axiata Group Berhad in April 2008. He was formerly Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of UEM Group Berhad as well as Executive Vice Chairman of PLUS Expressways Berhad.
His strong track record in corporate and financial management began with the banking sector in 1988 when he joined Bumiputra Merchant Bankers Berhad in the Corporate Banking Department. He later took on senior management positions as Director of Group Corporate Services and Divisional Director, Capital Market & Securities of Amanah Capital Group overseeing the overall direction and performance of the division which included discount houses and money broking firms. He was also the Chairman of Amanah Short Deposits Berhad and a past Chairman of Association of Discount Houses in Malaysia. Dato' Sri Abdul Wahid was also a Director of Amanah Merchant Bank Berhad.
In recognition of his outstanding leadership in the corporate sector, Dato' Sri Abdul Wahid was the recipient of the Malaysia's CEO of the Year Award from Business Times / American Express in 2006. He was also conferred with the Asian Banker 2013 Leadership Achievement Award for Malaysia
He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council, Council member of East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC), Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA), Council Member of Aerospace Malaysia,Board Member of Yayasan Peneraju Pendidikan Bumiputera and Chairman of Investment Committee of Innovation Agency of Malaysia.
About the Company
Maybank is Southeast Asia's fourth largest bank by assets. It is listed and headquartered in Kuala Lumpur and is Malaysia's largest company by market capitalization. Maybank Group has a global network of over 2,200 offices in 20 countries including all 10 ASEAN countries. The group commenced commercial banking operations in Malaysia in 1960 and today operates from its key home markets of Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia as well as across the Asia-Pacific region and major international financial centers.