Heineken Malaysia Bhd has appointed Datuk Iain John Lo as its new chairman, effective Aug 15, 2026, succeeding Datuk Seri Idris Jala, who is stepping down after serving nine years on the board.
In a statement, the brewer said Lo brings more than 30 years of leadership experience across the energy, banking and telecommunications industries.
Heineken Malaysia Bhd, Chairman – Datuk Iain John Lo.
He spent over three decades with Shell, culminating in his appointment as country chairman of Shell Malaysia Ltd, a role he held from 2012 until his retirement in March 2021. He also previously served as chairman of Shell Refining Company (Federation of Malaya) Bhd before the company’s sale in 2016.
Lo currently serves as a member of the Board of Guardians of the Sarawak Sovereign Wealth Future Fund. He is also an independent non-executive director of RHB Bank Bhd and RHB Investment Bank Bhd, as well as a board member of Sepang International Circuit Sdn Bhd.
He holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Heineken Malaysia said the board is confident that Lo’s extensive corporate and governance experience will provide strong leadership as the company navigates an increasingly dynamic business environment while advancing its long-term growth strategy under the EverGreen 2030 agenda.
Meanwhile, Idris Jala will retire as chairman and director in accordance with the Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance (MCCG), which recommends a maximum tenure of nine years for independent directors. He will continue to support the company as an adviser from Aug 15.
The company credited Idris with playing a key role in guiding Heineken Malaysia through a period of significant transformation since joining the board in January 2017. During his tenure, the group strengthened its digital capabilities, enhanced its route-to-consumer strategy, undertook major brewery upgrades and successfully navigated the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Shares of Heineken Malaysia closed 12 sen, or 0.6%, higher at RM19.42, giving the brewer a market capitalisation of RM5.87 billion. The stock has declined 22.9% over the past 12 months.
