Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Haji Syed Zainal Abidin Bin Syed Mohamed Tahir

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Independent, Non-Executive Director
Age: 63
Gender: Male
Nationality: Malaysian
Date appointed to the Board: 03 March 2026

Chairman – Group Risk Committee
Member – Nomination & Remuneration Committee

Academic/Professional Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering (University of Maryland, United States of America)

Key Achievements

Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Haji Syed Zainal Abidin bin Syed Mohamed Tahir is currently a Non-Independent Non-Executive Chairman of Dagang NeXchange Berhad (“DNeX”). Prior to this, he was the Executive Chairman of DNeX since 9 December 2022, Group Managing Director of DNeX since 1 October 2020, and earlier was appointed as Independent Non-Executive Director of DNeX on 1 July 2020. He is also Chairman at SilTerra Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a strategic investment of DNeX and Beijing Integrated Circuit Advanced Manufacturing and High-End Equity Investment Fund Center (Limited Partnership).

He previously held the position of Vice President, Downstream Marketing, Petroliam Nasional Berhad (“PETRONAS”) and served as Managing Director of PETRONAS Dagangan Berhad. He began his career as a Project Engineer with PETRONAS Gas Sdn Bhd in 1987, before joining PETRONAS in 1992 as Senior Executive of the company’s Corporate Planning & International Business Development unit.

He then left to join HICOM Holdings Berhad in 1995, where he assumed various senior positions in the company. In 1999, he lent his expertise to PERODUA when appointed Senior General Manager. Subsequently, he was appointed Executive Director of PERODUA Auto Corporation Sdn Bhd in 2002 and later promoted to Deputy Managing Director of PERODUA in October 2005.

Thereafter, he also held various key positions in established corporations including Proton Holdings Berhad as Group Managing Director, RHB Bank Berhad and RHB Islamic Bank Berhad as Independent Non-Executive Director. In July 2018, he was appointed as Chairman of the Board of Universiti Teknologi MARA until January 2021.

He is currently Chairman of PAA Digital Trade Alliance, the first global alliance that aims to promote and provide secure and value-adding IT infrastructure and facilities for efficient global trade and logistics. Additionally, he serves as Chairman of Perbandaran Waqaf Selangor, and Cahya Mata Oiltools Sdn Bhd and a board member at Cahya Mata Cement Sdn Bhd and Islamic University Selangor.

With his vast experience in transforming organisations and leading several large organisations, he is often invited to give talks and lectures in Transformational Leadership and often gives advice to both the government and private sector in Malaysia. He is active in community work through several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that help victims of natural disasters.

Academic/Professional Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Maryland, United States of America

Professional Experience

Tan Sri Syed Zainal has held executive and board-level positions across multiple industries. In 2025, he was awarded Corporate Leadership Award : Bumiputera Business Excellence Awards (BBEA) 2025.

Other Directorship(s) at Public Companies

Chairman, Dagang NeXchange Berhad

Other Current Appointments

  • Chairman, Cahya Mata subsidiary companies:
    • Cahya Mata Oiltools Sdn Bhd
    • Oiltools International Sdn Bhd
  • Director, Cahya Mata subsidiary companies:
    • Cahya Mata Cement Sdn Bhd
    • Scomi Oiltools (RUS) LLC
  • Chairman, SilTerra Malaysia Sdn Bhd
  • Director, Collaboration Research In Engineering & Technology (CREST) Center
  • Deputy Chairman, Perbadanan Negeri Sembilan (Ns Corp)
  • Director, Perbadanan Kemajuan Iktisad Negeri Kelantan

Past Directorship(s) and/or Appointment(s)

  • Chairman, Pan-Asian E-Commerce Alliance Limited
  • Chairman, PUSRAWI Heritage Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Pusrawi Heritage Sdn Bhd and Hospital PUSRAWI Sdn Bhd
  • Adjunct Professor, Universiti Tecnologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru
  • Council Member of the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan or MAIWP)

Family Relationship with Other Director(s) and/or Major Shareholder(s) & Declaration

Tan Sri Syed Zainal has no conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest, including interest in any competing business with Cahya Mata Group, and has no family relationship with any other director and/or major shareholder of the Company. He has not been convicted of any offence (other than traffic offences) within the past 5 years and any public sanction/penalty imposed by the relevant regulatory bodies during the financial year.