KUALA LUMPUR (July 1): Axiata Group Bhd (KL:AXIATA) has appointed Amrit Kaur as its independent non-executive director effective July 1.

She will also be appointed as a member and chair of the board audit committee, said the telecommunications group in a statement.

Amrit, 63, has over 30 years of experience in regulatory compliance, financial advisory, risk management and contributing to sustainable quality assurance practices. She has led various engagements, advising some of the country’s largest public-listed institutions in various projects, ranging from mergers and acquisitions to generally accepted accounting principles to International Financial Reporting Standards implementations.

Amrit began her auditing career at Arthur Andersen in 1989 before joining PwC Malaysia, where she helmed various management and partnership positions, including global leadership roles.

“Her extensive experience in audit and governance will contribute significantly to the board's strategic, operational, and financial expertise. Axiata, in our journey towards becoming the Next Generation Digital Champion, will continue to add diverse skill sets and knowledge to our board. With our current experienced board line-up, the group will continue to strengthen our commitment to value creation and operational excellence,” said Axiata chairman Tan Sri Shahril Ridza Ridzuan.

At Monday’s noon break, Axiata’s share price rose four sen or 1.53% to RM2.65, giving it a market capitalisation of RM24.33 billion.