KUALA LUMPUR (June 20): Malakoff Corp Bhd managing director Datuk Wira Azhar Abdul Hamid has resigned from his post, citing personal and professional reasons.

Azhar, 56, a chartered accountant by training, was appointed to his current post on May 1, 2016. Prior to that, he was the president and group managing director of Tradewinds Corp Bhd before relinquishing the position to be its chairman.

In a filing with Bursa Malaysia today, Malakoff noted that Azhar began his career in the UK where he served British Telecom Plc as an internal auditor manager from 1989 to 1991. He then joined Malaysian Co-Operative Insurance Society Ltd as head of internal audit and later as head of finance prior to joining the Sime Darby Bhd in 1994.

Azhar was appointed as group chief executive of Pernas International Holdings Bhd from November 2001 till October 2002. In 2003, he returned to Sime Darby Group as business development director of Sime Darby Plantation Sdn Bhd and he went on to become the managing director of Tractors Malaysia Holdings Bhd, managing director of Sime Darby Plantation Sdn Bhd and acting president and group chief executive overseeing the entire Sime Darby Group's operations until August 2010. Azhar then joined Mass Rapid Transit Corp Sdn Bhd as its CEO from 2011 till 2014.

In separate filings with Bursa Malaysia yesterday, Malakoff also announced that Datuk Hasni Harun has been appointed as independent and non-executive chairman of the company, replacing Tan Sri Syed Anwar Jamalullail who has resigned due to other professional commitment.

Syed Anwar, 65,  was appointed to his current post on Dec 1, 2014. He commenced his career with Malaysia Airline System Bhd in 1975 as a financial accountant before moving on to hold senior positions in various companies. His last position was as the group managing director of Amanah Capital Partners Bhd.

Currently, Syed Anwar is the chairman of Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd, Nestle (Malaysia) Bhd, Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd and Lembaga Zakat Selangor. He is also the chancellor of SEGi University.

Hasni, 60, is a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants. He is also currently the chairman of Gas Malaysia Bhd and a director of Permodalan Felcra Sdn Bhd.

According to Malakoff, Hasni held several senior positions in the Accountant General's Office from 1980 to 1994. He was also the senior general manager of the investment department at the Employees Provident Fund Board from 1994 to 2001 and the managing director of RHB Asset Management Sdn Bhd from 2001 until 2006.

He then joined DRB-Hicom Bhd as group chief financial officer until December 2006.

In January 2007, he joined MMC Corp Bhd as the group chief operating officer. In March 2008, he was appointed as the CEO for Malaysia, prior to his appointment as the group managing director of MMC in May 2010 until June 2013.