KUALA LUMPUR (March 12): UEM Sunrise Bhd has appointed Datuk Azmar Talib as one of its independent non-executive directors, effective March 11, according to a press statement.

In the statement, UEM Sunrise chairman Datuk Hisham Hamdan said: “UEM Sunrise looks forward to the invaluable insights and leadership that Datuk Azmar will bring to the board, further strengthening our commitment to excellence and innovation in the property development and real estate industry.”

Currently the group CEO of TRX City Sdn Bhd, Azmar oversees the development of Tun Razak Exchange (TRX), which is envisioned as the International Financial Centre of Malaysia.

With 40 years of experience under his belt, the statement said Azmar has worked in various sectors such as real estate, construction, banking, and project turnaround. His academic background includes a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Estate Management from Universiti Teknologi MARA and Financial Risk Management from Harvard Business School.

The statement added that he has held various leadership roles, including serving as the group CEO of seven companies within the Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) group, throughout his 18 years with PNB.

His accomplishments at PNB include leading the acquisition of public-listed companies, turnaround and restructuring initiatives and the development of multiple townships, with nine major townships mostly in the Klang Valley.

Also involved with Bandar Malaysia, Azmar has worked on some of their major projects such as new facilities for the Air Force, Army and Police Air Wing.

Furthermore, the statement highlighted that he is actively involved in various industry organisations, including being a member of Majlis Tindakan Ekonomi Negeri Melaka, Tabung Haji Investment Panel and Majlis Agama Islam Melaka. He is also a director on the board of Lembaga Tabung Amanah Melaka and director of the Straits of Melaka Waterfront Economic Zone as well as a member of the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia.

He also contributes to academia as a member of the Industry Advisory Panel for Real Estate at the Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Malaya.