CYBERJAYA: Dagang NeXchange Berhad (“DNeX“) has announced the appointment of Encik Faizal Sham Abu Mansor as its Group Chief Executive Officer effective 1 November 2024.
Tan Sri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir Jamalullail, will continue to lead the management team in his role as Executive Chairman until 31 December 2024, after which Faizal will succeed him in leading the management team of the Group whilst Tan Sri Syed Zainal Abidin will be redesignated as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board on 1 January 2025. In his role as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board, Tan Sri Syed Zainal Abidin will continue to lead DNeX’s board of directors in departing its role and fulfilling its responsibilities to the Group’s stakeholders whilst ensuring compliance with regulations and best practices in corporate governance. Moreover, Tan Sri Syed Zainal Abidin will also continue to lend his experience and support to the Group on key strategic initiatives and stakeholder management.
Faizal is a distinguished corporate professional and has an extensive career in leading and being part of senior leadership team of major corporations. He most notably served as Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) at Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad from 2006 to 2015 where he was recognised on numerous occasions as Best CFO in the country by both local and international institutions. Awards received by Faizal include Best CFO for Investor Relations 2012 by the Malaysian Investor Relations Association, Best CFO in Malaysia 2013 by FinanceAsia Magazine and CFO of the Year 2014 from the Malaysian Institute of Accountants and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
His corporate experience also includes serving as Chief Executive Officer of Astro Productions and Astro Awani, a world-class media production services and news organisation under Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad from 2015 to 2018 where he was able to turn the entities into profitability during his stint there. From 2021 to 2024, he served as Executive Director and Group Chief Financial Officer at Vantage Energy Group, a private entrepreneurial O&G company where he provided strategic leadership in financial management, mergers and acquisitions, and capital restructuring whilst managing the company’s relations with its investors and stakeholders. He also spent six years in the financial industry most notably with Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi and the Corporate Finance and Investment banking division of AmMerchant Bank Berhad (now known as AmInvestment Bank Berhad).
Faizal is currently an Independent Non-Executive Director and Chairman of Audit Committee of YTL Power International Berhad and Solution Group Berhad. In 2019, he was appointed an Independent Non-Executive Director and Chairman of Audit Committee of Affin Hwang Asset Management Berhad which had RM80 billion in assets under management until it was acquired by CVC Capital Partners in 2022. He is also Director of Airdroitech, a private company providing software and hardware engineering support to Polyaire, a family-owned company that is one of Australia’s leading businesses in the air-conditioning industry. Faizal also contributes as a partner in MGI MR, a boutique advisory firm with a global presence.
Tan Sri Syed Zainal Abidin said the Board welcomes Faizal and looks forward to working together as the Group enters its next phase of growth.
“We are confident that Faizal’s expertise and proven track record will be able to drive the Group’s growth and expansion journey with an added focus on increasing cross-selling within the Group, leverage on the recent partnership with global players such as Google and internal realignment to focus on cost efficiency, improving profitability and ensuring sustainable return to shareholders” he said.
Faizal graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Rutgers University and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Ohio University. Fellow with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and a member of Malaysian Institute of Accountants. He also has Graduate Diploma in Aviation from the International Air Transport Association.
