KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 13): Penjana Kapital Sdn Bhd appointed Tunku Alizakri Raja Muhammad Alias as the new chairman of the board of directors, with effect from Sept 8, 2023. 
 
In a statement on Wednesday, Penjana said in his new role, Tunku Alizakri who was the former Employee Provident Fund (EPF) chief executive officer (CEO), will lead the board and executive team, ensuring that Penjana Kapital continues its growth in the venture capital (VC) industry in Malaysia. 
 
“His appointment reflects the company's commitment to stimulate Malaysia's economy by future proofing Malaysia businesses through innovation from start-ups, funded by private capital from strategic international and private domestic investors, matched by the government and in turn creating a vibrant and sustainable VC industry in Malaysia,” the fund said. 
 
Penjana Kapital Sdn Bhd is a company set up by the government to operationalise the Dana Penjana Nasional (DPN) programme, a matching fund programme from funds raised by the VC fund managers from foreign and private local investors. 
 
Tunku Alizakri currently sits as a board member of Prudential BSN Takaful, Bumi Armada Bhd, IHH Healthcare Bhd, and Sime Darby Plantation Sdn Bhd. 
 
He previously served as the CEO of EPF from 2018 to 2021, where he played a pivotal role in the digital business transformation of EPF to increase members’ digital experience and improve operational efficiency. 
 
He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Law (LLB) from King’s College London. 
 
Penjana Kapital also appointed Chris Chia Woon Liat as an independent non-executive director to Penjana Kapital’s board. 
 
Chris Chia holds a Bachelor of Commerce from University of Western Australia and an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management. 
 
He is also a managing partner at Kendall Court Capital Partners, a regional private equity firm based in Singapore.