Cyberjaya, Malaysia – Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), has appointed former SME Bank Malaysia’s Group Chief Strategy Officer (GCSO) Aiza Azreen as its new chief digital business officer (CDBO), still in line with the agency’sReinvent’ agenda, the mission to strengthen MDEC’s organization to further better its strategies in expanding the nation’s digital economy in the new normal.
The ‘Reinvent’ agenda seeks to implement a strategic change in the agency’s management, aiming to inculcate a high-performing and high-impact organization. With this mission, the agency can build capabilities internally, identifying the right skills for managerial roles and ensuring that the departments have the best performances.
As the new CDBO, Azreen will be responsible for driving all business development, strategic, and operational aspects of the company. This also includes corporate and business development initiatives, strategic planning, budget development and control, commercial input into national digitalization development, and supporting investor relationships and fundraising.
Azreen will also be a member of the MDEC Operating Council (MOC) and will report directly to CEO Surina Shukri, overseeing and steering the digital adoption ecosystem in e-Commerce, 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 digitizing SMEs, MSMEs, and enterprises.
Azreen’s experience spans 20 years. She has worked in Australia and Malaysia across multiple industries in strategy development and execution of large-scale business transformation. She held leadership positions in organizations, such as Pertama Digital Berhad, Axiata Digital Services, and Axiata eCode Sdn Bhd, as well as Bank Rakyat, Sime Darby Group, and Media Prima Berhad and AmBank Berhad where she helped pioneer digital ecosystems. This includes pioneering Malaysia’s cashless ecosystem with Boost eWallet, deploying frontier technologies, innovating operating models, and commercializing businesses through mergers and acquisitions (M&As), venturing, building, and collaborating with strategic partners.
Azreen commented that she had “the good fortune” of having conversations with the leadership team at MDEC on what is required to accelerate Malaysia’s digital economy and on the execution of MDEC’s ‘Reinvent’ as well as the inherent and future challenges in these efforts.
“At the end of these conversations, taking leave from the private sector to be part of MDEC’s journey was not a difficult decision to make. Today, I join the best-in-class team to contribute not just to MDEC, but to the country as well. With the recent launch of MyDIGITAL initiative and the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint, I am excited with what lies ahead,” said Azreen.
YBhg. Datuk Wira Dr Hj. Rais Hussin Mohamed Ariff, chairman of MDEC, said that with Azreen addition to the team, the organization aims to strengthen its expertise and experience as part of our relentless effort in fulfilling Malaysia 5.0.
“Increasing number of distinguished talents are now gravitating towards MDEC and this augurs well for our stakeholders, adding new perspectives and dimensions in a rapidly-changing landscape during unprecedented times like these. Her appointment will enable us to further expand and solidify our business development initiatives and reach in the digital economy sphere, allowing us to fulfill our goals and Malaysia’s digital vision as espoused in the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint (MyDIGITAL),” said Hussin.
Meanwhile, Shukri said, “The appointment of Aiza will strengthen our line-up as we expand our business capabilities and opportunities, both domestically and globally, in our resolve to create and bolster impactful digital outreach for Malaysia. I’m excited to work with Aiza and I am confident that she will further add value to MDEC as we strive towards driving digital outreach for the society and economy. Aiza’s appointment is a reflection of MDEC’s commitment to create technocrats and a people-first society in the age of 4IR technology, leading to shared prosperity for all.”
