KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 1): Axiata Group Bhd has appointed its interim chairman Tan Sri Ghazzali Sheikh Abdul Khalid as independent and non-executive chairman effective immediately.

In a statement today, Axiata said Ghazzali, 72, who has been on the telecommunications group's board since March 2008, assumed the role of interim chairman in August, following the resignation of Axiata's former chairman Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar.

Meanwhile, Ghazzali's role as senior independent director of the group will be replaced by David Lau Nai Pek, who also chairs the audit committee and risk management committee.

"Since taking over the mantle of leadership of the Axiata board, Tan Sri Ghazzali has demonstrated the highest standards of commitment and professional rigour in his role as interim chairman," said Axiata president and group chief executive officer Tan Sri Jamaludin Ibrahim in the statement.

"As a pioneer member of the board since 2008, the group has consistently benefited from Tan Sri Ghazzali's broad corporate and international experience that has led to the rapid growth and expansion of Axiata across the region to what it is today, one of Asia's leading telecommunications groups," he added.

In a separate filing with Bursa Malaysia today, Axiata said Ghazzali has made his career as a diplomat since 1971 and was the ambassador of Malaysia to the US in March 1999. He also served as deputy secretary-general of the ministry of foreign affairs previously.

His last position before his retirement in September 2010 was as ambassador-at-large of the ministry of foreign affairs, to which he was appointed in 2006.

Meanwhile, Axiata said it will continue to make further changes to refresh and strengthen the board of directors with the right mix of skills, expertise and diversity in the areas of operations, international business, finance, technology and human capital.

In 2017 and 2018, as part of the plan and in a phased-in approach, new board members have been appointed and some have retired.

Axiata shares closed up 3 sen or 0.88% at RM3.44, with 3.54 million shares done, bringing a market capitalisation of RM31.2 billion.