Annuar Zaini named UDA Holdings chairman

KUALA LUMPUR (March 23): Tan Sri Mohd Annuar Zaini has been appointed new UDA Holdings Berhad (UDA) chairman effective Thursday (March 23), replacing Datuk Norliza Abdul Rahim.

In a statement issued by UDA, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said he was confident that Mohd Annuar's appointment will drive the agency, along with the ministry, towards empowering entrepreneurs through its business segment.

He said the appointment will also support the government's aspirations towards the development of Malaysia Madani.

Meanwhile, in the same statement, UDA president and chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Salem Kailany, on behalf of the agency, congratulated Mohd Annuar on his appointment.

“May his leadership fulfil the agency’s aspirations and drive excellence and sustainability within UDA,” he said.

Mohd Annuar, who holds a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from Tufts University, United States and a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), started his career in government service as an administrative and diplomatic officer in 1977.

He served in several ministries and government departments at the federal as well as the Perak state level before his voluntarily retirement from government service in 1999 to venture into the private sector.

He was later appointed as a Board of Trustee member of Yayasan Waqaf Malaysia in 2021, MRCB Land Sdn Bhd chairman in 2022 and has been Metropolitan Utilities Sdn Bhd chairman since 1993.

He was made the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority advisor and chief executive officer (2007-2009), Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chairman (Feb 2004-Jan 2010), Berjaya Corporation Berhad executive director (2001-2004) and Malaysia Airline System Berhad board member (2005-2011).

In addition, he had served PLUS Expressways Berhad (2007-2012), Tropicana Corporation Berhad (2010-2015) Manulife Holdings Berhad as board member (independent and non-executive), Manulife Insurance Berhad and Manulife Investment Management (M) Berhad ( 2011-2020).