KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 3): Straits Energy Resources Bhd (formerly known as Straits Inter Logistics Bhd) has appointed Sunny Ho Khin Choy as the chief executive officer of its indirect subsidiary Straits CommNet Solutions Sdn Bhd effective Thursday (Feb 3).

In a statement, the group said Sunny will lead Straits’ push into the 5G-driven digital space and the Internet of Things (IoT) transformation of the regional oil and gas (O&G) industry.

The appointment follows Straits Energy Resources entering into a memorandum of understanding with Texas-based Baicells Technologies Co Ltd to collaborate on driving the growing wireless network communication business opportunities of the 4G and 5G rollout and the digital transformation of the local and regional O&G industry through IoT.

According to the group, Sunny’s last posting prior to joining Straits CommNet was in Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), a Malaysian government-owned entity mandated to deploy 5G network and infrastructure across the country.

Before his stint at DNB, he had led numerous key sections in Axiata Group Bhd’s Edotco Group Sdn Bhd, Nokia Malaysia and Ascom, the group said.

According to Straits Energy Resources, Sunny, a telecommunications specialist, has 30 years of experience in the telcommunications and digital transformation arena.

Meanwhile, the group also announced the appointment of John Ho Soon Choy as chief operating officer of Straits CommNet effective Feb 3.

“With over 32 years of experience in the IT industry, [John] has in the past led a MIS/IT team that provided support on SAP and IT infrastructure for F&N, and Yeo’s Malaysia and Indonesia,” he said.

He is a specialist in IT restructuring, improving system processes and achieving cost optimisation, the group added. 

Commenting on the appointments, Straits Energy Managing Director Datuk Sri Ron Ho Kam Choy said the group’s latest additions will put it on an “accelerated path towards establishing our footprint in the 5G and O&G IoT market”.

He added that under Sunny’s leadership, he is confident that the group will be able to tap into the right opportunities and grow this new segment into an important revenue generator.

“Through our active participation in the oil and gas industry, we noticed that there are huge undertapped areas of opportunities in terms of digitalisation and IoT. 

“With many processes and functionalities remaining traditionally or minimally-digitalised, Straits wants to be a disruptor by incorporating 4G and 5G enabled technologies such as IoT into the daily processes within the industry. 

“The ultimate goal is to raise productivity and to make the processes more efficient,” he said. 

Shares in Straits Energy closed unchanged at 16.5 sen on Thursday (Feb 3), valuing the group at RM129 million.