KUALA LUMPUR: Media Prima Bhd has appointed two new directors, one of whom is linked to tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary.

In a statement yesterday, the media group named Datuk Iskandar Mizal Mahmood as executive director, and Mohamad Abdullah as non-independent and non-executive director. Their appointments take effect today.

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.

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 Airports 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,” said Media Prima.

Mohamad is currently Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Bhd MD. He also serves as chairman 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 is also director of several private companies within the Albukhary Group, which is controlled by Syed Mokhtar.

He also served as managing director of Pharmaniaga Bhd, 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,” said Media Prima.

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