The award was presented to Azman, founder of the AmBank Group and executive chairman of Amcorp Group, by USM pro-chancellor Mustafa Mansur in appreciation of his contributions to the country and his involvement in several of USM’s charitable and educational projects.
USM vice-chancellor Prof Dr Omar Osman described Azman as a “towering personality” to be reckoned with and an exemplary icon.
Azman said: “To be recognised by USM in the field of management is a great feather in my cap but I must confess that I do not have a degree in management.
“Actually, I have never studied in a university and I also have to say that I do not follow any management guru.
“At the same time, as an entrepreneur and a banker, I guess I have been managing my various companies for over 50 years and in the case of the Ambank Banking Group, from a staff strength of 200 to 12,000 today,” he said.
Azman, 76, who hails from Kuala Lumpur, said he started learning to be competitive and to achieve excellence at a young age.
When he was 16, he pursued his education in chartered accountancy on a Colombo Plan scholarship in Australia and by 21, he became a chartered accountant and chartered secretary.
He played important roles in Malaysian investment missions overseas and was often appointed as business legation head and was an advocate of the South-South cooperation initiatives.
He is currently involved in several organisations, including as chairman of the Malaysian Investment Banking Association, chairman of the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers and president of the Malaysian South-South Association.
— BERNAMA