KUALA LUMPUR (May 2): Nestlé (Malaysia) Bhd has appointed Kedah princess Tan Sri Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz Almarhum Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah as its new independent non-executive director, with immediate effect.

The appointment came after the retirement of former independent non-executive director Datin Seri Azlin Arshad late last month, as the 49-year-old did not wish to offer herself for re-election in the annual general meeting.

Azlin was appointed onto Nestlé Malaysia’s board on May 1, 2020, and she was a member of the audit committee.

In a statement on Tuesday (May 2), Nestlé Malaysia said Puteri Intan Safinaz’s experience and achievements, particularly in social activism and humanitarian efforts, is “strongly” aligned with the food giant’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda.

“Alongside this, her instrumental role in facilitating the development of local communities will further contribute to the group’s community outreach efforts,” it said, adding that Puteri Intan Safinaz’s knowledge and expertise in ESG could propel the group forward in its journey of sustainable growth.

Puteri Intan Safinaz currently presides as the National Chairperson of the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS), the first woman elected to the position in the society’s 75-year history.

In July last year, she was elected to serve as a governing board member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, based in Geneva, Switzerland.

She is also the chairperson of the Sultanah Bahiyah Foundation, a non-governmental organisation she established in 1996 to spearhead positive societal change in the state of Kedah through education, community development, health, and other initiatives.

Apart from her philanthropic endeavours, the princess is also highly regarded for her role as Royal Patron and adviser to the Langkawi Unesco Global Geopark, a Unesco accreditation for the unique geological and sustainable ecosystem for the preservation of natural resources in Langkawi Island in Kedah.

Puteri Intan Safinaz, who holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Studies from the University of Sussex in the UK, does not hold directorships in any other public limited companies.

Shares of Nestlé Malaysia closed unchanged at RM135.50 on Tuesday, giving it a market capitalisation of RM31.77 billion.