In a filing with Bursa Malaysia today, Sime Darby said its current chairman, Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Abdullah, would retire from the board on Oct 31, 2019 due to health reasons.

It said Rahman would be joining Sime Darby as a non-independent non-executive director on Sept 1, 2019, before assuming the chairman post.

“We look forward to a smooth transition of board leadership under Rahman’s direction,” said Sime Darby’s group CEO Jeffri Salim Davidson.

Sime Darby is one of PNB’s key strategic companies, in which it owns a 52% stake.

Rahman was formerly a director and CEO of Ekuiti Nasional Bhd, a government-linked private equity firm.

Prior to joining Ekuinas, he was the group managing director/CEO of Media Prima Bhd, a leading integrated media investment group and group managing director/CEO of Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd, a leading Malaysian conglomerate.