Dato' Dr. Sheikh Awab, The Leading Figure in MSM Malaysia Holdings Expansion Plan

Dato' Sheikh Awab has extensive experience in the banking sector

MSM Malaysia Holdings Berhad, a majority owned company of Felda Global Ventures Holdings Berhad Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is one man on a mission. Talking to him gives you a sense that Dato' Sheikh is really in a hurry to make MSM a leading sugar producer in Asia, and the world in this coming years. 




In my personal opinion, he can achieve this mission because MSM Malaysia has the capability, resources and experience to achieve what it sets out to do. Furthermore, having a CEO who was a banker for 25 years do help in the execution of this strategy. 

Before i go into details on MSM's expansion plan and the sugar industry as a whole, i would like to briefly share with you Dato' Dr  Sheikh's background.  Dato’ Dr. Sheikh Awab Sheikh Abod was appointed Chief Executive Officer of MSM Malaysia Holdings Berhad on 1 January 2014, having been CEO designate since 1 December 2013. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Oklahoma State University, USA. 

In addition, he has more than 25 years of experience in commercial and investment banking. His record is as below:

2003 - 2004 : Acting CEO of Malaysian International Merchant Bank
2005 - 2007 : President and CEO of Affin Investment Bank
2007 - 2010 : Chairman of PECD Bhd

In addition to the above, he is currently both a Director of Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Bhd and Chairman of its Finance & Investment Committee. He is also the Chairman of Axis Consultancy & Advisory Services. He also sits on the Board of several companies within the Felda Global Ventures Group of Companies.

Looking at Dato' Dr. Sheikh Awab's portfolio above, in my honest opinion, MSM has a very capable and experienced leader to lead the company to greater heights. I had an opportunity to talk to Dato' Sheikh Awab and he is a "Facts and Numbers" person. In simple terms, everything is based on result, result, and result. He is a result oriented person and does not like to just promise things but also try his best to achieved what he has promised to do.

Under his leadership, MSM Malaysia Holdings has been invited to set up a refinery in Bahrain and also is looking at opportunities in Indonesia and Myammar. This is the same as how PETRONAS had started its business expansion in the 1990s where it took a calculated risk by venturing into international markets such as Vietnam and Sudan. We all know that PETRONAS has achieved tremendous success in these markets even thought nobody thought they would. 

Before i conclude my article, i would just like to share with my readers and the public in general on a fact that most of us try to ignore or actually is not aware off. Malaysia currently has the 2nd lowest sugar price in Asia and we still have opposition leaders complaining of the price. What a joke.