KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 31): Malaysia Smelting Corporation Bhd (KL:MSC) has promoted its deputy chief executive officer Nicolas Chen Seong Lee and group chief financial officer Lam Hoi Khong as co-group CEOs effective Jan 1, 2026.
The appointments follow the retirement of Datuk Dr Patrick Yong Mian Thong as the group CEO of the country’s biggest tin miner on Dec 31, 2025 after nine years in the role, according to a bourse filing. Yong will remain on MSC’s board and serve as an adviser, providing guidance and oversight of new projects.
The new co-leadership model is "designed to strengthen operational effectiveness, reinforce the group’s governance and enhance strategic execution, while ensuring continuity and sustainable growth”, the company said in a statement.
Chen, 53, joined MSC in November 2017 as a general manager overseeing special projects in the group CEO’s office before being re-designated as the deputy CEO in charge of administration in 2018. His responsibilities included assisting the group CEO in overseeing legal, corporate, human resources, security, information technology, procurement and administrative matters.
Lam, 55, has more than 30 years of experience in finance, accounting, corporate finance, auditing and taxation. He was appointed as the group CFO in January 2019. He is in charge of overall financial management and reporting, business support, financial planning and analysis, treasury, investor relations and tax functions, and also leads the group’s commercial and supply chain operations.
New arrangement
Under the new arrangement, Chen will oversee operational, corporate and institutional matters, while Lam will be responsible for finance, sales and marketing, commercial functions and governance.
MSC also thanked Yong for his leadership, noting that he achieved key milestones and built a strong foundation for long-term growth during his tenure.
Separately, MSC also announced the appointment of former Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Dr Maimunah Mohd Sharif as an independent non-executive director, effective Jan 1.
Maimunah was in the news in early November after her tenure as the Kuala Lumpur mayor was shortened from the original end date of August 2026. She was subsequently appointed as a property adviser to Malaysia’s national oil company PETRONAS.
She previously served as the first woman president of the Seberang Perai Municipal Council and mayor of Penang, before becoming the first Asian woman appointed as the under-secretary-general and executive director of UN-Habitat.
MSC shares rose four sen or 2.6% to RM1.60 ahead of the announcement on Wednesday, giving the company a market capitalisation of RM1.34 billion.