Kuala Lumpur, 5 July 2022 – Mark Arthun is the new Chairman of the British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (BMCC) effective 29 June 2022. Mark was elected following the 4th BMCC Annual General Meeting.
Mark is the Managing Director and Site Leader for Smith & Nephew’s more than USD100 million in investment manufacturing site in Penang, Malaysia. Mark oversees all Malaysian operations, from construction to the manufacturing and distribution of orthopaedics products globally. He is an expert in developing and deploying operational strategies in medical device and aerospace operations. An Industrial Engineer by training, Mark has held leadership roles at Abbott, Alere, and Boeing. Mark relocated from the United States to Penang with his wife, Jocelyn.
Mark, who has been a member of the BMCC Board since 2021 said he was incredibly honoured to be elected as the new Chairman of the BMCC.
“My predecessors have set a highly effective framework for BMCC which we will continue to pursue. In this role, I fully intend to build on our existing strengths while continuing to drive key focus areas such as ESG, digitisation, manufacturing, energy, and education. Through these key agendas, we intend to add more collaborations and increase access to government in the interest of BMCC members. I look forward to working with the Executive Office of BMCC and fellow Board Members to find ways in making incremental improvements in achieving our goals of being the number one Chamber in Malaysia and to provide the best value to our members,” he added.
Mark succeeds Abrar A. Anwar, Managing Director, and Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia, who stepped down as Chairman of the BMCC after the completion of a two-year term. Abrar will remain as a member of the Board to support the growth of the Chamber.
Abrar commented, “It has been a privilege to take on the leadership of the Chamber during a most tumultuous time caused by the pandemic. We focused on providing continued support to our members as the operating environment was evolving rapidly and uncertainties abounded. I am proud of what we have achieved together during my tenure in creating an environment for both UK and Malaysian businesses to continue capturing trade and investment opportunities and strengthen bilateral trade relations between both countries. For that, I would like to thank the Board, the members as well as the Executive Office led by Jennifer Lopez (CEO of BMCC) for their tremendous support and showing great agility as we navigated an unprecedented landscape.
“My heartiest congratulations to Mark Arthun as he takes over the reins - I am fully confident that the stewardship of the Chamber is in capable hands. I will remain on the Board and continue providing my support to Mark and the Chamber’s future initiatives and activities. I treasure the friendship and connections I have cultivated, and it had been a true honour to have led such an esteemed organisation as Chairman,” he added.
The BMCC thanks Abrar A. Anwar for his stellar leadership and contributions as the Chairman and welcomes Mark Arthun as the New Chairman of the BMCC.
