Newly created role to chart new digital business strategies and development initiatives.
The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has brought on board Aiza Azreen Ahmad in the newly-created role as Chief Digital Business Officer (CDBO).
MDEC is a government agency under the purview of the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia entrusted to lead Malaysia’s digital economy forward.
Ahmad will work closely with the CEO and Board of Directors at MDEC to drive all business development, strategic and operational aspects of the company, including corporate and business development initiatives; strategic planning; budget development and control; commercial input into national digitalization development; as well as support investor relationships and fundraising.
Marking yet another significant appointment under MDEC’s ‘Reinvent’ agenda – the latest hire is another step forward for MDEC to inculcate a high performing and high-impact organisation. The agency has begun cascading changes throughout the organisation to ensure optimal performance for its new structure.
In her new role, Ahmad will be a member of the MDEC Operating Council (MOC) and will report directly to the CEO. She will oversee and steer the digital adoption ecosystem in ecommerce, business digital adoption, data ecosystem development, and the digital infrastructure departments.
She will also lead external innovation opportunities to expand commercial strategies and build corporate business and innovations for e-commerce, in line with MDEC’s focus on digitalising SMEs, MSMEs and enterprises.
Aiza’s career spans 20 years and working in two countries – Australia and Malaysia – where she worked across multiple industries in strategy development and execution of large-scale business transformation.
She held leadership positions in organisations such as Pertama Digital Berhad, Axiata Digital Services and Axiata eCode Sdn Bhd (part of Axiata Group of Companies), Bank Rakyat, Sime Darby Group, Media Prima Berhad and AmBank Berhad where, with various stakeholders, she helped pioneer digital ecosystems. This includes pioneering Malaysia’s cashless ecosystem with Boost eWallet; deploy frontier technologies; innovate operating models and commercialise businesses through mergers and acquisitions (M&As); venture building; and collaborating with strategic partners.
In February this year, MDEC welcomed the launch of the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint (MyDIGITAL) that YAB Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The agency was excited about this initiative and offers its unequivocal support and commitment towards the success of MyDIGITAL based on MDEC’s three strategic thrusts, namely digitally-skilled Malaysians, digitally-powered businesses and attracting digital investments, to achieve a technologically integrated society in line with Malaysia 5.0 and further strengthen its position as the Heart of Digital ASEAN.
The agency also welcomed the conditional permission given by the government to four leading companies; Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Telekom Malaysia, to build and manage hyper-scale data centres and hybrid cloud services, said Surina Shukri CEO at MDEC.
“MyDIGITAL is believed to strengthen the foundation and development of the country’s digital infrastructure,” she said. “The essence of a successful digital economy is highly dependent on data, infrastructure and connectivity encouraging more innovation. As such, the goal to create a hyper-scale data centre with an expected investment of RM15 billion, will create room for innovation and public-private partnerships.”
The National Digital Networking Project (JENDELA), is said to strengthen existing connectivity with the target of nine million premises by the end of 2025, will make our country ready for 5G cellular technology in the near future.
The 5G component will drive investments in innovation, through the speed that facilitates technology transfer, while creating more highly skilled jobs as well as making Malaysia one of the most competitive data catalyst markets in the world, encouraging more share and more open innovation said Shukri.
Based on the new projection made by the Prime Minister, the digital economy’s contribution to the country’s GDP is expected to reach 22.6 percent by 2025.
MDEC, with the full support of the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia (KKMM), will continue to lead the digital economy forward; centred on ensuring shared prosperity for the many and towards realising Malaysia 5.0.
As per the MyDIGITAL announcement, MDEC is fully committed to rolling out key digital initiatives announced in Budget 2021 to ensure our society can fully leverage and benefit from 4IR technologies and establish Malaysia as the Heart of Digital ASEAN.
