BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dato’ Baharon Bin Talib

Independent Non-Executive Chairman

Dato’ Baharon Bin Talib, a Malaysian, aged 71, was appointed to the Board on 8 March 2022 as the Independent Non-Executive Chairman.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from University of Malaya in 1975.

In October 1975, he began his career as an Assistant District Officer in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan where he was tasked to assist the district officer to administer the office. In October 1980, he was then posted to State Administrative Secretary Office in Negeri Sembilan as an Assistant Director of EPU to assist the Director of EPU.

In May 1981, he was transferred to Ministry of Home Affairs as Assistant Secretary of Registration, Immigration and Publication Department. During his tenure as an Assistant Secretary in Ministry of Home Affair, he was involved in handling matters relating to national registration and immigration. In August 1985, he was seconded to Immigration Department as a Director Immigration of Kelantan where he oversaw the issuance of passport, matters related to border and checkpoint. Thereafter, he was transferred back
to the Ministry of Home Affairs as Principal Assistant Secretary of Foreign Worker Task Force in February 1998 where he took on responsibilities to assist to formulate policy for foreign workers.

In June 2003, he was seconded again to Department of Immigration as a Director of Immigration in Sabah. Between 2006 and 2012, he was Chairman of Koperasi Imigresen Malaysia Berhad. In 2009, he received Excellence Service Award by Ministry of Home Affairs and in 2010, he retired from government service.

Save for the Company and Annum Berhad, Dato’ Baharon does not sit on the board of directors of any other listed company and public company. He is also a director of several private limited companies. Dato’ Baharon does not have any family relationship with any directors and/or major shareholders of the Company. He has no conflict of interest with the Group and has not been convicted of any offences within the past five (5) years and any public sanction or penalty imposed by the relevant regulatory bodies during the financial year.

Chew Sing Guan

Managing Director

Chew Sing Guan, a Malaysian, aged 74, was appointed to the Board on 18 May 2021 as an Non-Independent Executive Director/Managing Director.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Hawaii in 1973.

He started his career with Malaysian International Merchant Bankers Berhad in 1973 and was promoted to a Corporate Finance Officer in 1974.

In 1975, he joined his family book publishing business, Sharikat United Book Sdn Bhd, where he was responsible for day-to-day business operations.

From 1982 to 1987, he acquired a substantial interest in Larut Tin Fields Bhd and Temerloh Rubber Estates Bhd, both listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange. During that period, he was appointed as the Managing Director of Larut Tin Fields Berhad, where he was responsible for managing the company’s business operations. In 1983, he was appointed as the director of Hidong Estate PLC, a company listed on the main board of the London Stock Exchange, a position he still holds.

In 1992, after restructuring the financially distressed Seberang Securities Sdn Bhd (now known as Mercury Securities Sdn Bhd (“Mercury”)), he emerged as a substantial shareholder and a director of Mercury. Since then, he has been overseeing all aspects of the business of Mercury.

As an active promoter of the Malaysian stockbroking industry, he is currently the President of the Association of Stockbroking Companies Malaysia (“ASCM”), a position which he has assumed for the 12th consecutive term. He is also a member of the Bursa’s Market Participants Committee as well as Securities Market Participants Committee. He also represents Mercury as a council member in the Malaysian Investment Banking Association.

Save for the Company and Hidong Estate PLC where Mr. Chew is presently the Executive Director and Chairman, he does not sit on the board of directors of any other listed company and public company. Mr. Chew also sits on the board of various subsidiary companies of the Company as well as a director of several private limited companies.

Mr. Chew is a major shareholder of the Company and he does not have any family relationship with any directors or major shareholders of the Company. He has no other conflict of interest with the Group except for those transactions as disclosed in Note 23 to the Audited Financial Statements for the FYE 31 October 2023. He has not been convicted of any offences within the past five (5) years and any public sanction or penalty imposed by the relevant regulatory bodies during the financial year.

Dato’ A. Rahman Bin Safar

Non-Independent Non-Executive Director

Dato’ A. Rahman Bin Safar, a Malaysian, aged 69, was appointed to the Board on 18 May 2021 as an Non-Independent Non-Executive Director.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) from University of Malaya in 1977, Diploma in Accounting from University of Malaya in 1979 and a Master of Business Administration from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 1990. He has been a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants since 1983.

He joined Accountant General’s Department of Malaysia in October 1979 as a Treasury Accountant where he was involved in accounting function such as monitoring cash-flow, maintaining financial records and providing financial advice. During his 17 years of tenure in Accountant General’s Department of Malaysia, he was placed in various governmental bodies including Finance Division of the Ministry of Finance where he was responsible for developing policies for securities industries including policies in relation to merger and takeover.

In July 1996, he was seconded from the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of Defence and later in 1996, to Kuala Lumpur International Airport Berhad to serve as a Financial Controller where he was responsible for the financial management, financial accounting and reporting, as well as financial operations of Kuala Lumpur International Airport Berhad. Subsequently, he left Kuala Lumpur International Airport Berhad to join KLIA Consultancy Services Sdn Bhd as a Vice President under Corporate Services Division in January 2001 where he was responsible for overseeing financial related matters. In January 2008, he was seconded from KLIA Consultancy Services Sdn Bhd to KLIA Premier Holdings Sdn Bhd to serve as a Vice President under Corporate Services Division, a role he presently holds. He is responsible for overseeing financial related matters of the company.

Save for the Company, he does not sit on the board of directors of any other listed company and public company. He sits on the board of various subsidiary companies of the Company and in several private limited companies.

Dato’ A. Rahman is a substantial shareholder of the Company. He does not have any family relationship with any directors of the Company. He is also a director of Enrogetz Sdn Bhd (a major shareholder of the Company). He has no conflict of interest with the Group. He has not been convicted of any offences within the past five (5) years and any public sanction or penalty imposed by the relevant regulatory bodies during the financial year.

Chan Kim Hing

Independent Non-Executive Director

Chan Kim Hing, a Malaysian, aged 57, was appointed to the Board on 8 March 2022 as an Independent Non-Executive Director. He is also the Chairman of the Audit and Risk Management Committee, and a member of Nomination Committee and the Remuneration Committee.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Hons) from Monash University, Australia in 1991, majoring in Computer Science and Accounting. He is a member of CPA Australia since 1992 and a fellow member since 2015. He is also a Chartered Accountant member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountant since 1994.

He started his career with a reputable public accounting firm in Malaysia in 1991, specialising in financial, management, computer risk management and due diligence audits as well as internal control & compliance review, merger & acquisition, restructuring & reorganisation of front & back office’s operation and trading activities, information technology system’s automation and migration for companies in Malaysia.

In 1994, he left the firm to join M&A Securities Sdn Bhd (“M&A”) as an Accountant overseeing the Accounting & Treasury Department. He was promoted to the Executive Director of Operations in 2001 and Executive Director cum Head of Operations in 2007 overseeing the Accounting, Treasury, Corporate Finance, Operations and Business Development activities. He was elected to serve on the Management Committee of the Association of Stockbroking Companies Malaysia from 2009 to 2012.

He left M&A in 2016 to focus on his private interest in Made In Ipoh, which he founded to undertake conservation of heritage buildings, curation and establishment of museum-gallery activities.

Aside from the Company, he is also an Independent Non-Executive Director of Imaspro Corporation Berhad, a company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad as well as a director of other private limited companies. Save for the aforesaid, he does not sit on the board of directors of any other listed company and public company.

Mr. Chan does not have any family relationship with any directors and/or major shareholders of the Company. He has no conflict of interest with the Group. He has not been convicted of any offences within the past five (5) years and any public sanction or penalty imposed by the relevant regulatory bodies during the financial year.

Datin Chua Suat Khim

Independent Non-Executive Director

Datin Chua Suat Khim, a Malaysian, aged 65, was appointed to the Board on 8 March 2022 as an Independent Non-Executive Director. She is the Chairman of the Remuneration Committee, and a member of the Audit and Risk Management Committee and the Nomination Committee.

She obtained her Master of Business at The University of Newcastle, Australia in June 2006. She has been a member of Malaysian Institute of Accountants since September 1989 and a fellow member of Chartered Institute of Management Accountants since August 2001. She is also an ASEAN Chartered Professional Accountant since October 2017. She joined the Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia as an affiliate member in 2019, obtained the affiliate board-ready status in 2020 and became an ordinary member in August 2022.

Datin Chua has more than 30 years of experience in the operation and management functions in the professional accounting bodies and private education industry particularly in strategic planning, finance reporting, formulation of human resources policies and manpower planning and implementation of management information systems and IT infrastructure. Datin Chua is also an advisor to the boards of non-profit social services organisations on finance management and corporate governance areas.

Aside from the Company, Datin Chua is also an Independent Non-Executive Director of CB Industrial Product Holding Berhad, a company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad. She does not sit on the board of directors of any other listed company, public company and private company.

Datin Chua does not have any family relationship with any directors and/or major shareholders of the Company. She has no conflict of interest with the Group. She has not been convicted of any offences within the past five (5) years and any public sanction or penalty imposed by the relevant regulatory bodies during the financial year.

Himahlini A/P M. Ramalingam @ Yalumallai

Independent Non-Executive Director

Himahlini A/P M. Ramalingam @ Yalumallai, a Malaysian, aged 43, was appointed to the Board on 8 March 2022 as an Independent Non-Executive Director. She is the Chairman of the Nomination Committee, and a member of the Audit and Risk Management Committee and the Remuneration Committee.

She graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from University of Malaya, Malaysia in 2004 and was admitted an as advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in May 2005.

She is a partner of Messrs Himahlini & Co., where she specialises in corporate and commercial litigation, corporate restructuring, corporate insolvency and defamation.

Save for the Company, she does not sit on the board of directors of any other listed company, public company and private company.

She does not have any family relationship with any directors and/or major shareholders of the Company. She has no conflict of interest with the Group. She has not been convicted of any offences within the past five (5) years and any public sanction or penalty imposed by the relevant regulatory bodies during the financial year.