This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on November 16, 2017

KUALA LUMPUR: Sime Darby Bhd, which will see the listing of its plantation and property arms on Nov 30, has announced boardroom and managerial changes to lead its “leaner” core businesses of trading, logistics and healthcare moving forward.

In a statement yesterday, Sime Darby said the changes will be effective on Dec 1. Its new board will comprise 11 directors — led by current deputy chairman Tan Sri Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Abdullah, who will be redesignated as chairman.

Sime Darby’s other board members will be Jeffri Salim Davidson, who will also become group chief executive officer; Tan Sri Samsudin Osman; Datin Kartini Abdul Manaf; Datuk Seri Lim Haw Kuang; Datuk Wan Selamah Wan Sulaiman; Tan Sri Mohamed Azman Yahya; Datuk Ahmad Pardas Senin; Datuk Seri Abdul Hamidy Abdul Hafiz; and Thayaparan Sangara Pillai. The announcement of an additional board member will be made soon, said the company.

Meanwhile, Mustamir Muhamad will be chief financial officer and Datuk Thomas Leong Yew Hong, the group chief strategy officer. Scott William Cameron will remain as managing director of the group’s industrial arm.

Timothy Lee Chi Tim will continue as managing director of the logistics arm and Datuk Lawrence Lee Cheow Hock, managing director of the group’s motors arm.

“This is a distinguished line-up of individuals able to take Sime Darby forward in future,” said current Sime Darby chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Othman.

“The board and the senior management have, between them, years of experience and expertise necessary to take the trading and logistics businesses to the next level.”

In the statement, Sime Darby said when Sime Darby Plantation and Sime Darby Property are listed on Bursa Malaysia at end-November, the parent company will focus on its trading and logistics businesses, consisting of Sime Darby Industrial, Sime Darby Motors, Sime Darby Logistics and its healthcare business.

Sime Darby also owns a 50% stake in Ramsay Sime Darby Health Care Sdn Bhd, a joint venture with Ramsay Health Care, one of the world’s leading healthcare providers.

Ramsay Sime Darby Health Care has six hospitals, three each in Malaysia and Indonesia. Shares in the conglomerate lost three sen or 0.33% to RM9 yesterday, with 15.84 million shares traded and a market capitalisation of RM61.34 billion.