KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 21): Pertama Digital Bhd (KL:PERTAMA) has appointed Lim Nasrul Halim as its chief executive officer (CEO) designate. The CEO position has been vacant for more than a year.
The previous CEO, Saifullah Akhtar, left the group in October 2023, after less than a year at the helm, having previously served as director of strategy in 2021.
Since then, the group's former chief strategy officer, Mohd Reza Mohd Hatta, held the position as acting CEO until his departure in September 2024.
The official appointment of Halim, who is a Singaporean, as CEO will be confirmed pending the receipt of his work permit, said Pertama Digital in a filing with Bursa Malaysia on Tuesday.
Halim, a law graduate from the University of London, brings over two decades of corporate leadership experience across a range of industries, including guiding a government-linked corporation in Malaysia, contributing to the Enterprise Development Centre Singapore (EDC), and spearheading growth for global tech companies and renowned international brands, said Pertama Digital.
As CEO designate, the digital solutions provider said Halim is set to drive several high-impact initiatives to position the group as a frontrunner in Malaysia’s digital ecosystem.
"The board of directors is confident that Halim’s visionary leadership and diverse experience will propel Pertama Digital to new heights, reinforcing its commitment to being at the forefront of Malaysia’s digital transformation," the group said.
Pertama Digital operates the mobile application MyPay, which consolidates e-services from Malaysian government agencies into a single digital platform. It also operates the eJamin website, which allows electronic payments for criminal court bail.
It was previously mentioned that Pertama Digital is expected to submit its regularisation plan earlier than the deadline of February 2025 and that the group is in the midst of finalising key initiatives, including the proposed acquisition of a 59% stake in Kridentia Tech Sdn Bhd that would boost its bottom line.
Pertama Digital shares closed up one sen or 5.88% at 18 sen on Tuesday, with a market capitalisation of RM78.88 million. The counter has dropped more than 93% over the past one year.