KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 30): Media Prima Bhd has appointed two new directors, one of whom is linked to tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhary.

In a statement, the media group named Datuk Iskandar Mizal Mahmood as executive director, and Mohamed Abdullah as non-independent and non-executive director. Their appointment takes effect tomorrow.

Iskandar will be reporting to the group’s managing director (MD), Datuk Kamal Khalid. Iskandar currently sits on the boards of Theta Edge Bhd and Globetronics Technology Bhd.

From April 2017 to January 2019, Iskandar served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Granatum Ventures Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned company of Khazanah Nasional Bhd.   

Granatum Ventures was involved in the creative and media sector, including content creation, content financing/investment and the operations of Iskandar Malaysia studios. In addition, Iskandar was an executive producer for Paskal The Movie.

He was also a member of Lembaga Tabung Haji’s investment panel from 2016 to 2018, while serving as Pos Malaysia Bhd CEO and DRB-Hicom Bhd director.

“Datuk Iskandar has held several senior management positions and portfolios within Malaysia Airport Holdings, as well as served leading financial institutions including Bumiputra Merchant Bankers Bhd and Commerce International Merchant Bankers Bhd. He began his career with Arthur Andersen & Co in 1989,” Media Prima added. 

Meanwhile, Mohamad is currently Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Bhd MD, and also serves aschairman of MPH Group (M) Sdn Bhd and TMR Media Sdn Bhd, which publishes The Malaysian Reserve, a business weekly said to be owned by Syed Mokhtar.

Mohamad also holds directorships in several private companies within the Al Bukhary Group, which is controlled by Syed Mokhtar.

In addition, Mohamad is the former managing director of Pharmaniaga Bhd. He also served as chief financial officer of Faber Group Bhd and corporate affairs general manager of Park May Bhd.

“He commenced his accounting career as an audit assistant with Azman, Wong, Salleh & Co in 1984, and later joined Arab-Malaysian Merchant Bank Bhd,” Media Prima said.

Media Prima chairman Datuk Syed Hussian Aljunid said the two new additions to the group’s board brought a wide breadth of experience.

“We believe they will contribute greatly towards delivering value to our shareholders,” Syed Hussian said.

Last week, Aurora Mulia Sdn Bhd, a Syed Mokhtar-linked company, increased its stake in Media Prima to 31.22%, which is just shy of Bursa Malaysia’s 33% threshold for a mandatory general offer.

Aurora Mulia is Media Prima’s single largest shareholder, and counts Syed Mokhtar’s son Syed Danial Syed Mokhtar Shah as a member of its board.

Media Prima’s share price closed unchanged at 47 sen today, valuing the group at RM521.34 million.