Axiata appoints Shahril Ridza Ridzuan as new chairman come 2022

• Ghazzali Sheikh Abdul Khalid will retire in December
• Shahril Ridza Ridzuan to succeed Ghazzali effective 2022

Axiata Group Berhad has announced that its current chairman Ghazzali Sheikh Abdul Khalid will step down in line with his planned intention to retire from the position on Dec 31.

In a statement, the company said to ensure continuity, its board has resolved to appoint Shahril Ridza Ridzuan to succeed Ghazzali as its chairman effective Jan 1, 2022 with the transition in December 2021. 

“The board of directors takes this opportunity to thank Ghazzali for his numerous contributions towards the group’s growth since its inception in 2008. He is the longest serving board member since incorporation and has steered Axiata through the challenging times towards greater heights over the years. 

“A distinguished and highly respected career diplomat backed by 40 excellent years of serving international missions, his contributions to the group have been profound in elevating governance, process excellence and transparency,” the telco said.

Ghazzali was first appointed to the Board on Mac 24, 2008 and assumed the role of the chairman of the Board on November 2018 following a short duration as interim chairman from mid-2018. 

Under his stewardship, Axiata said the company expanded its footprint across 11 countries within Asean and South Asia, not just in its core business of mobile telecommunications but also that of telecoms infrastructure and digital businesses.

He was also part of the founding board that was responsible for shaping Axiata’s rise from its humble beginnings into a globally recognised MNC-quality institution. 

Meanwhile, Shahril was appointed to the Axiata board as an independent non-executive director on Nov 29.

Presently, he is a non-executive director of Malaysia Airlines Berhad and Malaysia Aviation Group Berhad, where he chairs the board nomination and remuneration committee. 

From August 20, 2018 to August 19, 2021, he led Khazanah Nasional Berhad as its managing director, where he worked towards striking a balance between growing financial returns at the national sovereign fund whilst also ensuring long-term benefits for future generations of Malaysians. 

Izzaddin Idris, president and group CEO said Ghazzali has been exemplary in his service to the board spanning 13 years with Axiata. 

“Ghazzali was also instrumental in engineering a meticulous succession plan for the mission critical change in senior leadership at Axiata. I took great comfort in the stewardship and guidance extended during his leadership. 

“On behalf of the board and management of Axiata, I wish to record and express our heartfelt respect and gratitude to Ghazzali and wish him the best for the future,” Izzaddin said.

Izzaddin said the company welcomes Shahril as its next chairman. 

“We certainly appreciate his familiarity with Axiata’s businesses and at the same time, with his expertise, experience and extensive network of relationships, we look forward to the new insights and challenges he will inspire,” he said. 

“As our businesses of digital telcos, digital businesses and infrastructure are positioned to drive and accelerate digital inclusion across emerging Asia, we look to the future with confidence guided by his leadership,” he added.