This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on January 18, 2018

KUALA LUMPUR: MSM Malaysia Holdings Bhd, the country’s largest refined sugar producer, will likely see more changes to its management structure, according to sources.

A source familiar with the matter said MSM is to see the departure of its current president and group chief executive officer (CEO) Mohamad Amri Sahari@Khuzari, who has tendered his resignation after disagreeing with the group’s major shareholder Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV) over the recent appointment of an executive director (ED) to MSM’s board.

MSM is a 51%-owned unit of publicly traded FGV, which in turn is controlled by the Federal Land Development Authority.

When contacted yesterday, an MSM official told The Edge Financial Daily that she was unaware of Mohamad Amri’s resignation, adding that “the CEO is still around today (yestreday)”.

Mohamad Amri started his career as a factory engineer at Felda Palm Industries Sdn Bhd (1989), a mill manager of Hamparan Badai Oil Mill (1996) and was a general manager at Felda Palm Industries Sdn Bhd in 2004. Subsequently, he moved to MSM Perlis Sdn Bhd as its general manager in 2004 and was promoted to senior general manager in 2008 and became its CEO in 2010.

He was appointed MSM deputy CEO in 2011. He assumed his current post in July 2016 following the passing of Datuk Sheikh Awab Sheikh Abod while in office in April 2016.

According to MSM’s Annual Report 2016, Mohamad Amri is notably known for his strong core values and has built a career spanning 27 years with Felda and MSM Group, along with his vast work experience in the sugar industry. At present, he sits on the board of several companies within MSM Group.

MSM has seen several changes to its management team and board since last year.

On June 1, 2017, Raja Faridah Raja Ahmad was appointed MSM chief financial officer, replacing Aznur Kama Azmir whose secondment contract from FGV to MSM ended on May 31, 2017.

On Sept 26, 2017, FGV chairman Datuk Wira Azhar Abdul Hamid was appointed non-independent and non-executive chairman of MSM, a post left vacant when Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad resigned as chairman of both MSM and FGV in June the same year amid a boardroom tussle at FGV. Azhar, 56, was appointed FGV chairman on Sept 8, 2017.

Pursuant to this, Datuk Rosini Abdul Samad ceased to be MSM acting chairman — a role she assumed on June 19, 2017, but continued to be a member of the group’s board. MSM also announced the resignation of Datuk Noor Ehsanuddin Mohd Harun Narrashid due to professional and personal reasons.

More recently, on Dec 11, 2017, MSM non-independent director Datuk Khairil Anuar Aziz, 50, was redesignated as executive director of the group. Khairil was the officer-in-charge to helm the duties and responsibilities of FGV’s group president and CEO in July last year, following the leave of absence of Datuk Zakaria Arshad.

Khairil’s redesignation triggered rumours that he is about to take the helm of MSM.

MSM shares closed unchanged at RM4.08 yesterday, with a market capitalisation of RM2.87 billion.