Datuk Ruben Emir Gnanalingam Bin Abdullah (Executive Chairman)
Sing Chi IP (Alternate: Diana Tung Wan LEE)
John Stephen Ashworth (Alternate: Edith Shih)
Vijaya Kumar Puspowanam (Chief Executive Officer)
Datuk Ruben Emir Gnanalingam bin Abdullah was appointed as Director of the Company on 5 July 2005.
He attended Victoria Institution between 1989 to 1993 and later, Eton College in the UK from 1994 until 1995. Datuk Ruben graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) Degree in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science, the UK, in 1998. He also holds a diploma in Port Management, awarded by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate. Datuk Ruben has also attended various Executive Education Programmes under the Harvard Business School, including the Senior Manager Development Programme and the Programme for Leadership Development.
Datuk Ruben started his career as a trainee in WMSB in 1999 before leaving WMSB to set up a start-up incubator known as The Makmal Group in 2000 until his departure in mid-2005. He then rejoined the Company as a Director in 5 July 2005 and was later appointed as Chief Executive Officer on 15 January 2009, a position he held until 31 December 2017 before being appointed as the Group Managing Director for Westports Holdings Berhad on 1 January 2018. Datuk Ruben was appointed as Executive Chairman and Group Managing Director on 20 July 2023.
Datuk Ruben is the Owner and Vice-Chairman of Queens Park Rangers Football Club (QPRFC), which participates in the English Football League (EFL). He is also a founder and Board Member of the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) which is a member of the US Major League Soccer (MLS). He also serves as an Executive Council Member of the Football Association of Selangor (FAS).
Outside his professional engagements, Datuk Ruben has involvement in many other business and industry-related groups. He is the President of Kuala Lumpur Business Club (KLBC), a Member of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) for Malaysia and on the Steering Committee for the CEO Action Network (CAN). He currently also sits on the Boards of the Malaysian Productivity Corporation (MPC) and the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE).
From a charitable perspective, he also serves as the Chairman of the QPR Community Trust. He has been appointed to the Westports Foundation on 5 September 2019 and joined the CEO Action Network (CAN) as one of the Steering Committee members since 2020.
He is the eldest son of our late Executive Chairman, Tan Sri Datuk G. Gnanalingam. He is also a Director of Pembinaan Redzai Sdn Bhd and Semakin Ajaib Sdn Bhd, which in turn hold shares in the Company. Datuk Ruben is also a shareholder of Semakin Ajaib Sdn Bhd. He attended all four Board Meetings held during the financial year.
Lee Mun Tat (Eddie)Mr. Lee Mun Tat (Eddie), Chief Executive Officer of WMSB, is primarily responsible for controlling and overseeing across multiple divisions covering Commercial, Finance, Marketing, Legal, Corporate Communications, Engineering and Bulk Cargo Business of WMSB. He has been appointed as a Director of WMSB on 9th June 2023.
Prior to his current role and responsibility with WMSB, Mr. Eddie has demonstrated his competency by holding different management roles including the Senior General Manager (in 2017), Head of Commercial (from 2006 to 2016) and Finance Manager (from 2003 to 2005).
Before joining WMSB, Mr. Eddie started his career with Matsushita Electronics Components (M) Sdn Bhd, after which he joined Jutajaya Holdings Berhad and All Best Furniture (M) Sdn Bhd with his last position as Group Finance Manager.
All these previous roles have equipped him with extensive working experience in the areas ranging from commercial affairs, business development, terminal service contracts, pricing, and statistics as well as credit control.
Mr Eddie received a Bachelor Degree in Business at Edith Cowan University in Australia. He has been active in undertaking the professional programme, including participated the Senior Management Development Programme organised by the Harvard Business School Alumni Club of Malaysia in collaboration with senior faculty members of the Harvard Business School, Boston, USA, in 2004, and also attended the General Management Programme in Boston US in 2016. In addition, he is an Alumnus of the Harvard Business School.
Mr. Eddie is also recognized as a qualified Chartered Accountant from Malaysia Institute of Accountants and a member of the Certified Practicing Accountants in Australia (CPA Australia).
Mr. Eddie has no directorships in other public companies and listed issuers. He does not have any family relationship with any director and/or major shareholder of the Company. He does not have any conflict of interest with the Company and has no convictions for any offences within the past five years.
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director
Age 68, Male, Malaysian
Mr. Chan Soo Chee was appointed as Independent Non-Executive Director of the Company on 1 January 2018. Prior to his appointment on the Board of the Company, he was a member on the Board of WMSB, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, until his resignation on 1 January 2018.
He was redesignated as Senior Independent Non-Executive Director on 1 March 2022. He holds a Masters in Business Administration, in Finance and Marketing from the University ofLeicester. He also attended and completed the Executive Management Programme by Penn State University of Pennsylvania, USA. Mr. Chan started his career in the maritime industry and has over 35 years of experience spanning South East Asia, Africa, South and West Asia. He qualified as a Master Mariner from the Government of Great Britain in 1987 prior to joining Orient Overseas Container Line (“OOCL”) Hong Kong and Japan, first serving as a Fleet Captain and later serving the OOCL Head Office in Hong Kong with responsibilities across a broad portfolio covering Operations, Audit & Risk, Consortium and Corporate Strategic Planning.
Mr. Chan also represented OOCL on the Steering Committee leading to the formation of the Consortium of the Global Alliances comprising 5 major international shipping lines. In 1997, Mr. Chan was appointed as the Regional Director of OOCL Singapore and later appointed as the company’s Regional Managing Director in 2004, overseeing more than 30 countries across South East Asia, Africa, South and West Asia. He then joined China Sonangol International Singapore as its Chief Executive Officer in 2015. He retired from the active day-to-day operations management of China Sonangol in 2017, whilst maintaining an advisory role in the sea transportation business community. Mr. Chan is currently a member of the Audit Committee upon his appointment as the Board committee member on 1 January 2018. Mr. Chan was also appointed as the Chairman of Nomination and Remuneration Committee on 1 March 2022.
Mr. Chan has no family relationship with any director or major shareholder of the Company nor has any conflict of interest with the Company. He attended all four Board Meetings held during the financial year.
Non-Independent Non-Executive Director
Age 70, Male, Chinese
Mr. Sing Chi IP was appointed as Non-Independent Non-Executive Director of the Company on 5 April 2013. Mr. Ip graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Coventry University, UK in 1979. Mr. Ip has over 40 years’ of experience in the maritime industry, having joined Sun Hing Shipping Co., Ltd. in 1979 as an account executive. Subsequently, he joined Hongkong International Terminals Limited in 1993 as General Manager of commercial and was the Managing Director of the company from 1998 to 2011. In 2005, he was appointed as Director of Hutchison Port Holdings Limited (“Hutchison Ports”), and is currently the Group Managing Director of Hutchison Ports.
Mr. Ip is also an Executive Director of Hutchison Port Holdings Management Pte. Limited, the Trustee Manager of Hutchison Port Holdings Trust (a business trust listed on the Singapore Exchange) and the Chairman of Yantian International Container Terminals Limited. In addition, he is a Non-Executive Director of both Orient Overseas (International) Limited and COSCO SHIPPING Development Co., Ltd., companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited.
He was a member of the Hong Kong Port Development Council until the end of December 2014 and was the founding Chairman (in 2000-2001) of the Hong Kong Container Terminal Operators Association Limited.
Hutchison Ports, through South Port Investment Holdings Limited, is a major shareholder of the Company. Mr. Ip is not involved in the management and day-to-day operations of the Company. He attended all four Board Meetings held during the financial year.
Independent Non-Executive Director
Age 54, Female, Malaysian
Ms. Shanthi Kandiah was appointed as Independent Non-Executive Director of the Company on 1 August 2017.
She holds a Masters in Law from King’s College London, a Bachelor of Law (Honours) Degree from University of London as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Competition Economics from King’s College London.
She founded Shanthi Kandiah Chambers (SK Chambers) in 2014, a law firm providing niche legal and regulatory services in new, evolving and complex areas of law and regulation namely competition law, the full spectrum of telecommunications and multimedia laws, privacy and data protection matters, cybersecurity laws as well as capital market laws and exchange rules.
Ms. Shanthi began her career in Securities Commission Malaysia in 1993 where she was part of the pioneer team that oversaw seminal law reform initiatives towards modernising and strengthening the Malaysian capital market. She was intimately involved in the development of the Finance Committee Report on Corporate Governance and the first Malaysian Code of Corporate Governance in 2000. She has also co-authored Malaysia’s reports for the World Bank and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Ms. Shanthi was a member of the Nomination, Remuneration and Corporate Governance Committee upon her appointment as the Board committee member on 1 January 2018 and resigned on 31 December 2021.
On 1 January 2022, she was appointed as the Chairperson of the Risk Management Committee and a member of the Sustainability Committee. She was appointed as the Company’s Nominee Director to Port Klang Cruise Terminal Sdn Bhd on 1 December 2021.
She has no family relationship with any director or major shareholder of the Company nor has any conflict of interest with the Company. She attended all four Board Meetings during the financial year.
Ms. Diana Tung Wan LEE was appointed as Non-Independent NonExecutive Director of the Company on 1 January 2022.
She is a qualified accountant and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from University of Melbourne. She is an Associate of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
Ms. Lee was appointed as Non-Executive Director of Hutchison Port Holdings Management Pte. Limited, the trustee-manager (“Trustee-Manager”) of Hutchison Port Holdings Trust (“HPH Trust”, a business trust listed on Singapore Exchange) on 1 January 2022 and is currently the Group Chief Financial Officer of Hutchison Port Holdings Limited (“Hutchison Ports”).
She has extensive experience in financial and accounting matters as well as financial reporting and regulatory compliance. Prior to her appointment as Group Chief Financial Officer of Hutchison Ports, she had been the Chief Financial Officer and Investor Relations Officer of the Trustee Manager since May 2016 after having been appointed as the Deputy Chief Financial Officer of the TrusteeManager in February 2011. Ms. Lee was also the Finance and Legal Director and Company secretary of Yantian International Container Terminals and served as a member of HPH Trust Exco, a committee of executives that determines strategy for HPH Trust.
She was appointed as a member of the Risk Management Committee on 1 January 2022.
Hutchison Ports, through South Port Investment Holdings Limited, is a major shareholder of the Company. Ms. Lee is not involved in the management and day-to-day operations of the Company.
She attended all four Board Meetings held during the financial year.
Datuk Siti Zauyah was appointed as Independent Non-Executive Director of the Company on 1 January 2022. Prior to that, she was appointed to WMSB on 17 May 2021 and resigned on 31 December 2021.
She graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Quantity Surveying from the University of Reading, United Kingdom. She started as a Quantity Surveyor with the Public Works Department. She subsequently held several positions in various institutions and the private sector before obtaining a Diploma in Public Administration from the National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN). She joined the Ministry of Finance Malaysia (MOF) as an Assistant Secretary. Later, she obtained a Master in Business Administration (International Banking) from the University of Manchester and was promoted as the Principal Assistant Secretary. She also attended the Oxford High-Performance Leadership Programme.
In 2003, she was seconded to the Asian Development Bank, Manila, as Director’s Advisor. She returned to MOF in 2006 and was the Deputy Secretary (Economy, Public Transportation and Infrastructure), Investment, MOF (Inc.) and Privatisation Division in April 2008. She became the Secretary, Loan Management Division, and then Secretary, Government Investment Company Division. She then served as the Director of National Budget, National Budget Office and finally the Deputy Secretary-General (Policy) until her retirement in 2019.
Datuk Siti Zauyah is currently a Director of Telekom Malaysia Berhad, Cagamas Holdings Berhad, Cagamas SRP Berhad and a Member of the Board of Trustee of Capital Market Development Fund. She was appointed as the Chairperson of the Sustainability Committee on 1 January 2022 and a member of the Audit Committee on 1 March 2022. She attended all four Board Meetings held during the financial year.
She has no family relationship with any director or major shareholder of the Company nor has any conflict of interest with the Company.
Independent Non-Executive Director, Age 51, Male, Malaysian
He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, United States. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Economics and Accounting from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom in 1996. Encik Ahmad Zubir bin Zahid was appointed as an Independent Non-Executive Director of the Company on 1 January 2022. Prior to that, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of WMSB on 17 May 2021 and resigned on 31 December 2021. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and obtained his Bachelor of Science in Economics and Accounting from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. He also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (Distinction) from the University of London.
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. He is a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants and the Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants. In the field of business valuation, he is a Chartered Valuer and Appraiser of the Institute of Valuers and Appraisers, Singapore, an Accredited Member of the American Society of Appraisers and holds the Accredited in Business Valuation credential from the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. He holds a Capital Markets Services Representative’s Licence from the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) and is a licensed company auditor.
He is an Executive Director of Thinkat Advisory Sdn Bhd, a licensed boutique corporate finance advisory firm and the Managing Partner of Zubir Chang & Co. PLT, a licensed audit firm. He is also the Managing Partner of Value Advisors PLT, a business valuation, forensic accounting and litigation support services firm.
Encik Zubir was previously an Independent Non-Executive Director of Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd. He was also the Chief Financial Officer of Daya Offshore Construction Sdn Bhd, Labuan Shipyard & Engineering Sdn Bhd, and SapuraAcergy Sdn Bhd. He was previously with Sime Darby Berhad, Ethos Consulting, ECM Libra, CIMB Investment Bank and PwC Malaysia.
He was appointed as a member of the Risk Management Committee on 1 January 2022 and as the Chairman of the Audit Committee on 1 March 2022. He attended all four Board Meetings held during the financial year.
He has no family relationship with any director or major shareholder of the Company nor has any conflict of interest with the Company.
Independent Non-Executive Director Age 62, Male, Malaysian Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Mohd Khairul Adib was appointed as Independent Non-Executive Director of the Company on 1 September 2022. Prior to that, he was appointed to WMSB on 15 February 2022 and resigned on 1 September 2022.
Tan Sri Dato’ Seri served as Director-General of the Public Service Department from 1 October 2019 to 16 January 2022. Prior to that, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri was the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Transports. As a public servant, he has served in various ministries, including the Embassy of Malaysia in Japan and the High Commission of Malaysia in London. Upon his return, he served at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, and then the Ministry of Education.
Tan Sri Dato’ Seri graduated with a Bachelor of Science and has a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management. He also holds a Master’s in Public Policy from Saitama University, Japan, under a Japanese Government Scholarship.
In January 2022, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri was conferred the Japanese Decoration: The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star by the Emperor of Japan.
He is currently the Chairman of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency, Board Chairman of MMAG Holdings Berhad and Ingenieur Gudang Berhad.
Tan Sri Dato’ Seri was appointed as a member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee member on 1 September 2022. He attended all four Board Meeting during the financial year.
He has no family relationship with any director or major shareholder of the Company nor has any conflict of interest with the Company.
Dato’ Tengku Marina was appointed as an Independent NonExecutive Director of the Company on 1 September 2022. Prior to that, she was appointed to WMSB on 1 January 2022 and resigned on 1 September 2022.
She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from London University, United Kingdom. She started her career as a Public Relations Officer in Malaysia Airlines, United Kingdom. She joined Nestle (Malaysia) Berhad as Corporate Communication Executive in October 1988. She subsequently held several senior positions with Nestle Malaysia and Nestle S.A. She served as the Asia-Pacific Head, Corporate Regulatory and Scientific Affairs, Nestle S.A, from July 2016 until her retirement on 1 November 2022.
Dato’ Tengku Marina attended the Nestle Leadership Programme in London Business School, United Kingdom; Business Sustainability Management Courses from the University of Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership and various courses from The Graduate Institute, Geneva.
Dato’ Tengku Marina is currently a Director of MISC Berhad and S P Setia Berhad.
She was appointed as a member of the Sustainability Committee on 1 September 2022 and as a member of Nomination and Remuneration Committee on 9 June 2023. She attended all four Board Meetings held during the financial year.
She has no family relationship with any director or major shareholder of the Company nor has any conflict of interest with the Company.
Ms. Shaline Gnanalingam was appointed as a Non-Independent Non-Executive Director of the Company on 9 June 2023. Prior to that, she was appointed to WMSB on 1 August 2017 until her resignation on 31 March 2023.
Ms. Shaline has a Bachelors degree in Economics from the University of Cambridge. Additionally, she earned a Master of Business Administration (honours) from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She has also attended various Executive Education Programmes at Harvard Business School, including the Senior Manager Development Programme.
She began her career as an Executive with Maybank Investment Bank Berhad in 2003, before joining Khazanah Nasional Berhad, working in the aviation sector and on banking acquisitions in India. During her tenure at Khazanah, she also implemented an endowment plan for a non-profit organization focused on medical and humanitarian aid. In 2008, she left Khazanah as Assistant Vice President, Investments.
Currently, Ms. Shaline serves as the Chief Investment Officer at Pembinaan Redzai Sdn Bhd, a major shareholder of the Company since 2008. In this role, she oversees a diverse investment portfolio across various sectors and geographies. She was appointed as Director of Westports Foundation on 8 November 2023.
She is the daughter of our late Executive Chairman, Tan Sri Datuk G. Gnanalingam and is the sister of the Executive Chairman and Group Managing Director, Datuk Ruben Emir Gnanalingam bin Abdullah. She also holds director positions in Pembinaan Redzai Sdn Bhd and Semakin Ajaib Sdn Bhd, both of which hold shares in the Company. She attended two of the Board Meetings held during the financial year.
Alternate Director to Sing Chi IP,
Non-Independent Non-Executive Director
Age 60, Male, Chinese
Mr. John Stephen Ashworth was appointed as Alternate Director to Mr. Sing Chi IP, a Non Independent Non-Executive Director of the Company, on 1 July 2016.
Mr. Ashworth graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
He started his career as a Chartered Accountant for Peat Marwick in London. Between 1992 and 2001, Mr. Ashworth worked for CK Hutchison Holdings Limited and the Hutchison Ports group in a number of senior finance and management positions. Between 2002 and 2010, he was Asia Pacific Chief Financial Officer for the Constituency Management Group, the marketing communications division of the U.S. listed Interpublic Group.
Mr. Ashworth was appointed Managing Director, South East Asia for Hutchison Ports in January 2017. Prior to his current position, he was Managing Director, Myanmar, Thailand & Vietnam between 2015 and 2016 and Chief Executive Officer of Hutchison Ports Indonesia between 2010 and 2014. He is also a Director of Westports Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.
Hutchison Ports, through South Port Investment Holdings Limited, is a major shareholder of the Company. Mr. Ashworth is not involved in the management and day-to-day operations of the Company.
Alternate Director to Diana Tung Wan LEE,
Non-Independent Non-Executive Director
Age 57, Male, Chinese
Mr. Andy Wing Kit Tsoi was appointed as Alternate Director to Ms. Diana Tung Wan LEE, a Non-Independent Non-Executive Director of the Company, on 1 January 2022.
Mr. Tsoi graduated from York University in Canada with Bachelor of Arts degree in 1989 and Master of Business Administration degree in 1991 before he started his career in ABN AMRO Bank N.V. Hong Kong where he held various senior positions between 1992 to 1997. Thereafter, he joined Debt Markets Division of BNP Paribas Hong Kong as an Associate Director where he was responsible for loan syndication prior to joining Hutchison Port Holdings Limited (“Hutchison Ports”) in 1998.
He was appointed as Hutchison Ports’ Regional Director for Pakistan, Oman and Saudi Arabia in 2011 and since 2012, he had added management responsibilities for United Arab Emirates.
Mr. Tsoi has been the Managing Director, Middle East & Africa since January 2014 overseeing Hutchison Ports’ business in Pakistan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Iraq.
Hutchison Ports, through South Port Investment Holdings Limited, is a major shareholder of the Company. Mr. Tsoi is not involved in the management and day-to-day operations of the Company.
Mr. Vijaya Kumar Puspowanam joined the Westports Group in January 2000 as a Gate Operations Executive and has since served under various departments such as gate, vessel operations and terminal planning before being appointed as the Head of Container Marketing in January 2008. He then took additional responsibility for handling business development activities for the Conventional business and Customer Service IT in 2010 before assuming the position of General Manager, Marketing and Conventional, in January 2017. He led the business development, which saw volume grow to its peak of 10.9 million TEUs in 2019, and digitalisation and innovation initiatives to achieve 100% online transactions with all stakeholders in 2021. Having served under the Port Klang Authority (“PKA”) and the Ministry of Transport Task Forces, he is well-versed in the logistics industry.
He left Westports in May 2022 to be the Managing Director of Talke Logistics Malaysia Sdn Bhd, part of Alfred Talke Logistics Services of Germany. The latter decided to invest in Malaysia in 2019, and they appointed Vijaya Kumar to lead the development of building the state-of-the-art chemical warehouse and setting up all the business operations. Operations commenced in February 2023. The new facility subsequently began in September 2023.
Mr. Vijaya Kumar rejoined Westports as the Deputy CEO in May 2023. He is responsible for various departments such as Container Operations, Container Planning, Container Marketing, Maintenance & Repair and the Port Police. He was also appointed as a Director of the Port Klang Cruise Terminal (PKCT) from 1 October 2023, representing WHB, which holds a 50% shareholding in PKCT.
Mr. Vijaya holds a Business Administration (International Business) Degree from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. He attended the Harvard Business School’s Senior Management Development Programme organised by the Harvard Business School Alumni Club of Malaysia in collaboration with the Harvard Business School, Boston, USA, in 2004.
Mr. Vijaya has no directorships in other public companies and listed issuers. He does not have any family relationship with any director and/or major shareholder of the Company. He does not have any conflict of interest with the Company and has no convictions for any offences within the past five years.
