This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on August 2, 2017

KUALA LUMPUR: QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd, the operator of KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants in Malaysia and Singapore, has appointed Datuk Mohamed Azahari Kamil (pic) as its managing director (MD) with immediate effect.

In his new role, Mohamed Azahari reports directly to QSR Brands chairman Datuk Kamaruzzaman Abu Kassim, as well as the board of directors. He will manage and oversee the group’s overall performance.

Mohamed Azahari, formerly the chief executive officer (CEO) of Asian Finance Bank Bhd, has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services and educational sectors, helming senior management posts in various private and public organisations, including Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Bhd, Permodalan Nasional Bhd, Amanah Raya-JMF Asset Management Sdn Bhd, Asian Finance Bank Bhd and most recently, SEG International Bhd.

In a statement yesterday, QSR Brands also named CK Chong as its chief information officer. He will oversee the use of information technology as QSR Brands strengthens its digital capabilities.

Mizal Azman Malek was also appointed as chief human resources officer. He will lead the human resources department, strengthening the group’s relationship with one of its greatest assets — its people.

The newly appointed team joins Merrill Pereyra, CEO of QSR Brands — restaurants division and Calvin Ang, CEO of QSR Brands — upstream division.

In August last year, QSR Brands was reported to be planning to relist on Bursa Malaysia in 2017 through an initial public offering worth over US$400 million.

In January 2013, QSR Brands was taken private by a consortium of private equity firm CVC Capital Partners Ltd and the Employees Provident Fund, in partnership with Johor Corp.