By TMR

SMALL Medium Enterprise Development Bank Malaysia Bhd (SME Bank), an agency under the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development last Friday announced the appointment of Datuk Seri Nazir Ariff (picture) as the non-executive chairman effective Oct 18, 2019.

Nazir, 73, is a successful corporate figure with vast experience in various industries which among others include banking, property, mining and commodity.

Majoring in accountancy from the UK, he is also a fellow of the British Institute of Management.

As an entrepreneur, Nazir is the co-founder of the Aspen (Group) Holdings Ltd and is currently the executive deputy chairman. Prior to this, he was the deputy chairman/ED at the Ivory Properties Group Bhd from 2006 until 2013.

Nazir started his working career holding various key positions at Escoy Holdings Bhd (formerly known as Datuk Keramat Holdings Bhd) until the end of his tenure as the MD in 2006. He was also the chairman of the Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Northern Branch) from 1995 to 2018.

Currently, Nazir is an independent director at Texchem Resources Bhd and PBA Holdings Bhd and is a director at Thailand Smelting and Refining Co Ltd and Escoy.

SME Bank group president/CEO Aria Putera Ismail in a statement said: “The appointment of Nazir Ariff as chairman of SME Bank is timely as his vast experience in the corporate and business sectors is expected to assist and lead the transformation of SME Bank towards sustainable and effective development.”