Board of directors

DATO’ JAAFAR BIN ABDUL HAMID
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Dato’ Jaafar is the founder and principal shareholder of the Hektar Group of companies and provides leadership for the overall strategic direction of the group. Previously, he was the Managing Director of United Engineers Malaysia Berhad (“UEM”), a public-listed corporation listed on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad. During his tenure at the helm of the UEM group of companies, he was responsible for undertaking numerous privatisation projects including the North-South Expressway (Plus), the Malaysia-Singapore Second Crossing (Linkedua), Integrated Schedule Waste Management (Kualiti Alam) and the National Sports Complex. After his UEM stint, he assumed the chairmanship of an international engineering and construction group, Costain Group PLC until 2000 and was involved in its re-listing exercise on the London Stock Exchange. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Engineering Production from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom.

ZALILA BINTI MOHD TOON
Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer

Zalila is responsible for the financial matters of Hektar REIT and the overall financial performance.  She was instrumental in listing Hektar REIT. Her current portfolio in Hektar Asset Management includes Strategy, Finance, Legal, Investor Relations and Corporate Affairs. Prior to joining the Hektar Group in 2004, she was with the UEM Group for 23 years, out of which 20 years was with the Cement Industries of Malaysia Berhad. Her primary achievements include spearheading various programmes which include the issuance of private debt securities and the acquisition of Negri Sembilan Cement Industries Sdn Bhd. Subsequently, she was also involved in the reverse take-over exercise of Park May Berhad before leaving for a brief stint in UEM Environment Sdn Bhd, a holding company of Kualiti Alam Sdn Bhd. Zalila holds a Master of Business Administration (Finance) from the University of Nottingham.  She is also a member of the Malaysian Institute of Corporate Governance.

DR CHEW TUAN CHIONG
Non-Executive Director

Dr Chew is the Chief Executive Office of Frasers Centrepoint Asset Management Ltd, the manager of Frasers Centrepoint Trust. From 1995 to 2009, Dr Chew was the Chief Executive of the Science Centre Singapore, where under his leadership it was transformed into a world-class educational facility with a visitorship in excess of one million per annum. Dr Chew graduated with a doctorate from Cambridge University in UK in 1988. He has a BEng (Hon I) from Monash University and an MSc from the National University of Singapore. A Chartered Engineer, he worked with Daimler Benz of Germany, British Gas in UK, and the National University of Singapore before joining the Science Centre Singapore. Dr Chew is also concurrently Adjunct Professor at the Singapore Management University. Dr Chew has held positions of President of the Asia-Pacific Network of Science and Technology Centre (ASPAC), Board member of the Giant Screen Theatre Association, the Singapore National Heritage Board, Honorary Secretary to the Singapore Association for the Advancement of Science, Council member of the Singapore National Academy of Science, and co-Chair of the A*STAR Talent Search Committee, and Chairman of the Singapore Youth Science Festival. He was an Exco member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Science and Technology Centre (ASTC) and also of its International Advisory Board. In 2000, Dr Chew chaired the organizing committee for the APEC Youth Science Festival. For the past 9 years, Dr Chew has chaired the Steering Committee for the Science Month (known as Science.0x) for Singapore. Dr Chew has been awarded the Public Administration Medal (Silver) (Singapore), and also the Sugden Award by the Combustion Institute (UK).

CHRISTOPHER TANG KOK KAI
Non-Executive Director

Christopher is the Chief Executive Officer of Frasers Centrepoint Commercial, the FCL division which is responsible for commercial property investment, development and management, fund and asset management. Christopher has over 20 years of experience in asset management, investment management, marketing and operations in the real estate and manufacturing industries. Prior to joining the Fraser & Neave Group in 2001, he held senior positions with DBS Bank, DBS Land and British Petroleum. He is also a director of Frasers Centrepoint Asset Management (Commercial) Ltd, the manager of Frasers Commercial Trust. Christopher holds a Masters in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science Degree from the National University of Singapore.

SHAHRIL BIN KASSIM
Non-Executive Director

Shahril has had over twenty years of experience with IBM Malaysia and Mesiniaga Bhd in various capacities such as sales, marketing, management and executive education for the government sector. During the course of his career, he has also been involved in organising, designing and facilitating executive strategy development for organizations to align their business strategy with Information and Communication Technology (“ICT”). He left IBM in 1999 and was a consultant to HeiTech Padu Berhad, a local ICT solutions provider until 2003. He holds a degree in Electronics Engineering from Salford University, United Kingdom.

DATO’ SYED AMIN ALJEFFRI
Independent Non-Executive Director

Dato’ Syed’s extensive work experience includes stints with Esso in Malaysia and the United States of America, Touche Ross Canada and his own public accounting and consulting practices, AljeffriDean. He also sits on the board of LBI Capital Berhad, Seloga Holdings Berhad, Golden Horse Palace Berhad , RAM  Holdings Berhad, Asas Serba Sdn Bhd and several other private limited companies. He is an Economics graduate from the University of Malaya, a Chartered Accountant with the Malaysian Institute of Accountants and the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, a Certified Public Accountant with the Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore, a Fellow Certified Practising Accountant with Certified Practising Accountant Australia, a Fellow Chartered Certified Accountants with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants UK , a Certified Financial Planner with the Financial Planning Association of  Malaysia and a Fellow of the Malaysian Institute of Taxation. He is a member of the Board of the Islamic Science University of Malaysia, owned by the Malaysian Government. He is currently the President of the Kuala Lumpur Malay Chamber of Commerce and formerly the Chairman of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council.  He is also a Council Member of the Malaysia-China Business Council and the East Asia Business Council and the Board of the Small and Medium Industries Development Corporation (“SMIDEC”). He is the Malaysian Honorary Council for the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.  He was formerly the Secretary General of the ASEAN Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

DATO’ ROBERT LIM GIT HOOI
Independent Non-Executive Director

Dato’ Lim was previously a partner in Ernst & Young and is also an Independent Non-Executive Director of Gopeng Berhad, YNH Property Berhad and Seloga Holdings Berhad, all of which are listed on Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad.  He also holds directorship in several other private limited companies. He is a member of the Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Malaysian Institute of Accountants.

PHILIP ENG HENG NEE
Independent Non-Executive Director

Philip Eng was appointed Independent Chairman of Frasers Centrepoint Asset Management Ltd in April 2009 and have been a Board member since April 2006.  He is Non-Executive Chairman of mDR Limited and Deputy Chairman of MCL Land Limited.  He is Director of several local and regional companies. Philip is also Singapore's Ambassador to Greece and High Commissioner to Cyprus.  He spent 23 years with the Jardine Cycle & Carriage Group before retiring in February 2005 as Group Managing Director.  Philip graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Commerce in Accountancy and is an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia.

JACK LAM JUCK NGAI
Alternate Director to Christopher Tang Kok Kai

Jack Lam is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Head, Investment of Frasers Centrepoint Asset Management Ltd, which manages Frasers Centrepoint Trust listed in Singapore. Prior to joining Frasers Centrepoint, he was with CapitaLand Limited from 2001 to 2006.  Jack has over 15 years of experience in the Singapore and regional property markets, spanning a variety of roles in investment, asset management, advisory and research. He has also been involved in REIT management since the industry’s inception in Singapore in 2002.  Jack holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance (with Distinction) from the University of Leeds, UK, and a Bachelor Degree in Engineering (Civil) from the National University of Singapore.