KUALA LUMPUR (April 28): Government-linked private equity firm Ekuiti Nasional Bhd (Ekuinas) has selected Kopi Hang Tuah as the first company under its newly launched capacity building programme, which supports high-potential lower mid-market Bumiputera companies.
In a statement on Tuesday, Ekuinas said the programme focuses on enhancing business fundamentals. It is also designed to fast-track the development of companies towards becoming more economically competitive, resilient and investment-ready through a value creation model.
Capacity building marks the third vertical in Ekuinas’ multi-asset strategy, complementing its existing private equity and private credit portfolios. The in-house initiative will select up to three companies annually, targeting businesses with annual revenue of between RM15 million and RM50 million and a proven operating track record.
The programme will be implemented over a three-year period, focusing on six core areas including strategy, financial, people, sales and marketing, operations, and regulatory & compliance, with targeted interventions to improve operational discipline, organisational effectiveness, investor readiness and access to capital.
Ekuinas chief executive officer Aliff Omar Mohamad Omar said many lower mid-market companies face structural constraints, from operational bottlenecks to gaps in governance and execution capabilities that hinder their ability to scale.
The programme aims to address these gaps by strengthening leadership, facilitating access to capital, to make participating companies investment-ready, enabling them to unlock new capital and scale into new markets.
Kopi Hang Tuah CEO Mohd Shahrizal Zoal said the partnership with Ekuinas marks a pivotal inflection point, accelerating the company’s transformation into a more scalable and future-ready business.
Founded in 1955, Kopi Hang Tuah is a family-owned coffee manufacturer. The company operates primarily through a business-to-business distribution model, supported by multiple regional distribution centres.