KUALA LUMPUR (March 9): Top Glove Corp Bhd has appointed two new independent non-executive directors to strengthen its board while enhancing its commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, according to a bourse filing on Wednesday (March 9).

The world’s largest glove maker has appointed former chief executive officer of CIMB Investment Bank Bhd, Datuk Kong Sooi Lin and a former executive director of CLSA (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Dr Ngo Get Ping as independent non-executive directors.

Kong, 60, has over 30 years of investment banking experience and retired from the top job at CIMB Investment Bank in 2019. She is also currently an independent non-executive director for AMMB Holdings Bhd, AmInvestment Bank Bhd, Ecoworld International Bhd and IOI Corp Bhd. She owns 5,000 shares in the glove maker.

Ngo, 63, has over 20 years of investment banking experience. His last position was executive director and deputy country head of CLSA Singapore when he retired in 2006.

Ngo is currently a senior independent non-executive director at OSK Ventures International Bhd and he does not hold a stake in Top Glove.

Separately in a statement on Wednesday, Top Glove said that the varied experience and expertise of its two new independent non-executive directors will enhance board strength and be instrumental in advancing the group’s ambitious growth agenda.

The glove maker also said in the statement that it had garnered recognitions and accolades from S&P Global and Bloomberg for its enhanced commitment to ESG.

“In February 2022, Top Glove was for the first time included in S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook, which is one of the world’s most comprehensive publications providing in-depth analysis on corporate sustainability.

“It was accorded an Industry Mover distinction, which is given only to companies within the top 15% of each industry participating in the S&P Global 3 Corporate Sustainability Assessments (CSA), who have achieved a minimum improvement of 5% in their S&P Global ESG Score and have accomplished the strongest improvement in their industry,” the statement read.

It added that Top Glove had been included — for the first time — in the 2022 Bloomberg Gender Equality Index for its performance in the area of gender reporting and measures to advance gender equality in the workplace, placing among 20 companies globally under the Industrials category with an above average industry score.

Meanwhile, Top Glove said its workforce has a 52:48 ratio of women to men in leadership positions such as managers and above while the participation of women in its board is at 38%.

Top Glove’s current board of directors is as follows:

• Tan Sri Dr Lim Wee Chai — executive chairman
• Datuk Lee Kim Meow — managing director
• Lim Hooi Sin — executive director
• Lim Cheong Guan — executive director
• Datuk Noripah Kamso — independent non-executive director
• Sharmila Sekarajasekaran — senior independent non-executive director
• Datuk Dr Norma Mansor — independent non-executive director
• Azrina Arshad — independent non-executive director
• Lester Garson Huang — independent non-executive director
• Lo Kai Yiu, Anthony — independent non-executive director
• Martin Giles Manen — independent non-executive director
• Datuk Kong Sooi Lin— independent non-executive director
• Dr Ngo Get Ping — independent non-executive director

Top Glove was seven sen or 3.74% lower at RM1.80 at Wednesday’s midday break, valuing the glove maker at RM14.77 billion based on 8.21 billion outstanding shares.

(The list of Top Glove’s current board of directors has been amended for accuracy.)

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