08-Apr-2015

APPOINTMENT

Director

Executive

59

Malaysian

Dato' Dr. Palaniappan a/l Ramanathan Chettiar graduated with Bachelor of Science in 1977 and subsequently obtained Master of Arts (Medical Social Work) in 1979 from University of Madras, India. He also holds a Master of Science in Psychology from University of Leicester, U.K. In 1998, he completed his Doctor of Philosophy in Management from California Coast University, USA. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School having graduated from its Advance Management Programme in 2012. He was conferred as a fellow for British Institute for Learning & Development, U.K and completed his candidature for his Doctor of Philosophy by research in Federation University (Ballarat), Australia where he is expected to graduate in 2015. His research focuses on Skills Gaps.

He is the founder of the SMRT Group. He was appointed to the Board of SMRT as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer on 13 August 2004. He is also a substantial shareholder and Director in Special Flagship Holdings Sdn. Bhd., a substantial shareholder of the Company.

He started his career in 1980 and has had extensive experience as a domain expert in Education with his first book on The Magic of Making Training FUN received exceptionally well. As an entrepreneur, he has focused on creating value through service businesses. He has also been involved in lecturing, training, human resources management and software production. Among the many organisations that he has worked with as a Master Trainer and Senior Consultant include Sabah Ports Authority, New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad, Singapore Airlines Limited, Gulf Air Transport, British Petroleum Plc, Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance, Abu Dhabi Police, and Qatar Foundation. In addition to his business and technological orientation in the learning and education industry, Dato’ Dr. R. Palan is the author of 15 books on human resources and management. In 2001, he founded SMR Technologies Sdn. Bhd., a company involved in the development of competency based software. In 2004, SMRT Holdings Berhad was incorporated and soon after was listed on the MESDAQ Market (now known as the ACE Market) of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad where he currently holds the position of Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer.

He also served as the Chairperson of the Working Committee on HRD, ASEAN Chamber of Commerce & Industry from 1997 to 1999. Dato’ Dr. R. Palan was also appointed as the Director of the Human Resources Development Corporation (Pembangunan Sumber Manusia Berhad) from 2009 to 2013 by the Honourable Minister of Human Resources.

In addition to his experience in business and technological orientation in learning and education industry, he also founded the Asia HRD Congress , Asia’s premier event for HR professionals in 2002.

SMRT Holdings Berhad

Nil

Nil

Nil