KUALA LUMPUR (June 8): BIMB Holdings Bhd has announced the retirement of its group chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Sri Zukri Samat, effective tomorow (June 9).

Zukri, 59, has been with BIMB for over a decade and is also managing director of its wholly-owned subsidiary Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd. He was previously an executive director in Khazanah Nasional Bhd and managing director of Pengurusan Danaharta Nasional Bhd.

In its filing with Bursa Malaysia today, BIMB said the announcement on the appointment of a new CEO will be made in due course.

The Edge Malaysia weekly (May 29 - June 4, 2017) had reported, quoting sources as saying Bank Islam’s board had already put forward its choice, Khairul Kamaruddin,  who is the bank’s current deputy CEO, to Bank Negara Malaysia and the decision now lies with the central bank.

“If approved, it remains to be seen [as to] whether he will, like Zukri, also hold the top job at BIMB,” the weekly reported.

Lembaga Tabung Haji is understood to prefer Datuk Badlisyah Abdul Ghani, the former CEO of CIMB Islamic Bank Bhd, to replace Zukri at Bank Islam. Tabung Haji has a 52.5% stake in BIMB.

BIMB shares closed down 4 sen or 0.9% today at RM4.43, for a market capitalisation of RM7.2 billion.