In a statement, the sovereign wealth fund said Hisham’s appointment allows for greater focus on building Khazanah’s capabilities as an investment institution and creating new capacity and competencies, especially to meet the company’s value creation and impact goals.

Khazanah managing director Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir said Khazanah believes that Hisham’s vast experience and knowledge would be an asset to the organisation’s ongoing efforts in gearing up to build the required capacity as well as institutionalise talent development.

“This, along with our long-term strategy of ‘Advancing Malaysia’, would further allow us to strengthen our position in facing the challenging global market conditions,” he added.

Khazanah said Hisham will fill the vacancy left a year ago after the departure of Azmil Zahruddin Raja Aziz.

“Hisham, 57, joined Khazanah in April 2011, having previously worked at Sime Darby Bhd,” it said.

He holds two degrees in Chemical Engineering and Industrial Management from Purdue University, US.

Hisham had also attended the Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Programme.