KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia Berhad has announced the appointment of Tan Sri Abdul Farid Alias as its new Chairman, effective 1 May 2025. He succeeds Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar, who will retire on 30 April 2025 after completing a five-year tenure. The appointment was made by the Minister of Finance under Sections 10(1)(a) and (3) of the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007.
Tan Sri Farid has served on Bursa Malaysia’s Board since July 2022 as a Senior Independent Non-Executive Director. His extensive experience in banking and financial services, spanning three decades, positions him well to lead the Exchange.
Leadership & Industry Expertise
Previously, Tan Sri Farid was the Group President and CEO of Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank) from 2013 to 2022. A seasoned Chartered Banker, he has held key roles in institutions such as Maybank Investment Bank, Schroders Malaysia, Malaysian International Merchant Bankers, and JP Morgan (Malaysia/Singapore).
Beyond banking, he brings strong governance experience, having served on audit, risk management, technology, cybersecurity, and nomination committees of various Malaysian and international boards. He currently holds directorships at CapitaLand Investment Limited (Singapore) and CelcomDigi Berhad and is a Council Member of the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers.
Tan Sri Farid holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Denver, USA, a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University, and has completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
A Vision for Bursa Malaysia’s Future
Expressing his gratitude, Tan Sri Farid stated:
“I am honored to take on the role of Chairman and build upon the strong governance, customer-centric approach, and strategic foresight of Tan Sri Abdul Wahid. Bursa Malaysia stands at a pivotal moment with immense innovation potential as a multi-asset exchange. I look forward to working with the Board and Bursa Management to drive growth and create value for all stakeholders.”
Honoring Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar’s Legacy
The Board extended its appreciation to Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar for his 12 years of service to Bursa Malaysia—first as an Independent Director (2004-2011) and later as Chairman (since May 2020). Under his leadership, Bursa Malaysia achieved key milestones, including:
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Strengthening its Islamic capital market and sustainability initiatives, notably launching:
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The Bursa Carbon Exchange (the world’s first Shariah-compliant multi-environmental product exchange)
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The Shariah-compliant Bursa Gold Dinar
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The world’s first Waqf-featured exchange-traded fund (ETF)
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Advancing corporate governance and sustainability, spearheading the Public Listed Companies Transformation Programme (2022)
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Leading Bursa Malaysia to a record RM2 trillion equities market capitalisation and achieving 55 IPOs in 2024, making it ASEAN’s top IPO market
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Establishing an independent Regulatory and Conflicts Committee, paving the way for a dedicated regulatory subsidiary
The Board praised Tan Sri Abdul Wahid for his unwavering commitment to Bursa Malaysia’s growth, governance, and innovation and wished him well in his future endeavors.
