Hong Leong Islamic Bank – Lembaga Pengarah

YBhg Datuk Dr Md Hamzah bin Md Kassim holds a PhD in Business from Aston University, United Kingdom and a Master in Business Administration. He was inducted in 2012 into the Alumni Hall of Achievement of Monmouth College in Illinois, USA where he did his undergraduate education. 

YBhg Datuk Dr Md Hamzah had over 20 years of experience as strategy and management consultant in global firms specialising in large scale technology and business transformation, working across several sectors with established organisations, ranging from banks to telecommunication companies, public institutions and foreign governments. He is the Co-Founder of The iA Group, where he currently serves as an Advisor. The iA Group, which was established in 2002, specialises in business and public sector transformation, technology and human capital.

Prior to The iA Group, he was the Executive Director/Partner of international firm of Ernst & Young, Vice President and Country Head of the global consulting firm of Cap Gemini and member of the global management team and Country Head of PA Consulting Group.

Before joining the consulting industry in 1995, YBhg Datuk Dr Md Hamzah held various senior positions in the government for over 18 years related to industrial R&D management and public policy on technology development and innovation. He also served as a member of expert/advisory groups in various national and international organisations such as United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and Islamic Development Bank, Jeddah. He was the Project Director for the Industrial Technology Master Plan for Malaysia in the Institute of Strategic and International Studies and subsequently took up the position as Director of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment to spearhead the implementation of the plan as part of the national strategies to accelerate economic growth and technology development.

In 2006, YBhg Datuk Dr Md Hamzah was appointed as the Consulting Advisor to the National Implementation Task Force chaired by the Prime Minister to oversee the 9th Malaysia Development Plan and in 2009, he was appointed as member of the National Economic Advisory Council (NEAC). YBhg Datuk Dr Md Hamzah was a member of the Review and Operational Panel to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission from 2013 to February 2015. In 2015, he was appointed as member of the Anti-Corruption Advisory Board by the DYMM Yang Di Pertuan Agong and completed his term in 2018.

YBhg Datuk Dr Md Hamzah was appointed to the Board of Directors of Hong Leong Islamic Bank Berhad (“HLISB”) on 15 December 2015 and is a member of the Board Audit and Risk Management Committee, Remuneration Committee and Nomination Committee of HLISB.

YBhg Datuk Dr Md Hamzah is also the Board Member of Hong Leong Bank Berhad, a parent company of HLISB.

Mr Kevin Lam Sai Yoke holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the National University of Singapore and is an alumnus of the Asian Financial Leadership Program.

Mr Kevin Lam possesses over 30 years of experience in the financial landscape, having assumed various key senior leadership roles covering five (5) key markets in Southeast Asia namely Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. He has a broad range of experiences in strategic planning, business management, marketing, product development, sales and distribution, banking infrastructure development, digital and technology innovation. He has been instrumental in leading financial institutions with cross-functional and cross-cultural backgrounds to build long-term franchises.

Prior to joining HLISB, Mr Kevin Lam served as the Head of TMRW Group Digital Banking of United Overseas Bank Limited (“UOB”), for its key regional markets based in Singapore. He has a decade-long experience in various ASEAN markets including in Jakarta as the President Director of UOB Indonesia, and in Kuala Lumpur where he headed Personal Financial Services at UOB Malaysia and later served as its Deputy Chief Executive Officer where he oversaw its Wholesale Banking business and Technology and Operations. 

He had also headed the consumer banking loans, sales and distribution in Singapore with UOB, after time with various international banks and technology firms based in Singapore, Hong Kong and the USA.

Mr Kevin Lam currently a Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Hong Leong Bank Berhad (HLB). He is also a Council Member of The Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM) and a Member of Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers (AICB).

Mr Kevin Lam was appointed to the Board of Directors of Hong Leong Islamic Bank Berhad (HLISB) on 1 November 2023 and is a Member of Nomination Committee of HLISB. 

Mr Tang is a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants and has over 40 years’ in-depth experience in the investment, manufacturing, financial services, property development, gaming and hospitality industries.

Mr Tang possesses broad-based and C-suite expertise in finance, treasury, risk management, operations and strategic planning. He has held various senior management positions in different companies within the Hong Leong Group, prior to his retirement as President & Chief Executive Officer of Guoco Group Limited in December 2020.

Mr Tang is also the Chairman of GuocoLand (Malaysia) Berhad and a Director of GLM REIT Management Sdn Bhd, the Manager of Tower Real Estate Investment Trust. He is also a Non-Independent Non-Executive Director of BIB Insurance Brokers Sdn Bhd, an approved insurance broker to carry on insurance broking business pursuant to Financial Services Act 2013.

Encik Alan Hamzah Sendut holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree in Accountancy and Computer Science from the University of Wales, United Kingdom. He is a Chartered Accountant (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) by profession and a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants.

Encik Alan Hamzah Sendut began his career in 1982 as an auditor with Price Waterhouse, London, United Kingdom. He returned to Malaysia in 1986 where he served with several multinational companies such as the Shell Malaysia Group and CarnauldMetalBox Malaysia.

Encik Alan Hamzah Sendut joined the Sime Darby Group in 1996 as Group Finance Director of Tractors Malaysia Holdings Berhad, a company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad (“Bursa Securities”). He served in many senior roles within the Sime Darby Group such as Group Finance Director for Sime Plantations, Project Director for the Northern Corridor Project and Senior Vice-President for Sime Darby Shared Services during his 19+ years with Sime Darby Group.

From 2009 to 2010, Encik Alan Hamzah Sendut joined BHP Billiton as Global Head of Payment Shared Services. He then returned to the Sime Darby Group as the Executive Vice President for Strategy, Business Development and Investor Relations. He became the Managing Director of Sime Darby Energy and Utilities Division (Non China) from April 2015 to June 2016.

Encik Alan Hamzah Sendut is currently a Director of Hengyuan Refining Company Berhad, a company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities.

Encik Alan Hamzah Sendut was appointed to the Board of Directors of Hong Leong Islamic Bank Berhad (“HLISB”) on 26 September 2016 and is the Chairman of the Board Audit and Risk Management Committee, Remuneration Committee and Nomination Committee of HLISB.

Aged 56, Puan Rowina Ghazali Seth, a Malaysian, graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the Northern Illinois University, United States.

Puan Rowina Ghazali Seth began her career in SHELL in the Information Technology Division in 1985, then assumed various local and global positions in SHELL's upstream, downstream and business operations. She rose to senior posts, including as SHELL Malaysia's first female General Manager Corporate Affairs and Director of SHELL Business Services Sdn Bhd.

Her last position was Director, Government Affairs at SHELL Malaysia, building the function from inception and pioneering the lead role. 

As a senior member of SHELL's management, she has more than 30 years’ experience in the Oil & Gas industry, in all aspects of strategic government relations, external and reputation management.

Puan Rowina Ghazali Seth is currently a Director of UMW Oil & Gas Corporation Berhad, a company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad.

Puan Rowina Ghazali Seth was appointed to the Board of Directors of Hong Leong Islamic Bank Berhad (“HLISB”) on 24 October 2017 and is a member of the Board Audit and Risk Management Committee and Remuneration Committee of HLISB.

Professor Datin Dr. Rusni binti Hassan is the Dean at the IIUM Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance, IIUM. She graduated with Ph.D in Law specializing in Shariah, Governance and Regulatory Aspects of Islamic banking and finance (IBF). She is an active researcher and expert trainer in IBF and has spoken extensively in seminars, workshops, conferences, and trainings on various Islamic finance issues.

She published books on Islamic Banking and Takaful, Corporate Governance of Islamic Financial Institutions; Islamic Banking Cases and Commentaries; Remedies for Default of Payment in Islamic Banking, Termination of Contractual Obligations and many chapters in books. She has published articles in local and international journals and was listed as Top 5 contributors in Scopus publication in Islamic Finance. She has supervised post graduate students in comprehensive topics on IBF and frequently been invited as examiner and assessor for students’ theses, academic promotions and academic programs offered by universities locally and internationally.

Professor Datin Dr. Rusni is also actively involved in the IBF industry as a member of Shariah Advisory Council Bank Negara Malaysia from 2010 to 2016 and the Shariah committee for a number of institutions in Malaysia including Association of Islamic Banking Institutions Malaysia (AIBIM) as well as Waqf Al-Nur, Koperasi J-Corp, Terengganu Incorporation and Tabung Haji. Currently, she is also the Chairperson of Shariah Committee for Export-Import Bank of Malaysia (EXIM Bank). Internationally, she is the Shariah Committee for Housing Development Corporation, Maldives. She is also a registered Shariah Advisor with the Securities Commission Malaysia. She was instrumental for the establishment of the Association of Shariah Advisors in Islamic Finance Malaysia (ASAS) and the International Council of Islamic Finance Educators (ICIFE) whereby she was pro-term committee, Secretary and the Executive Committee for both associations respectively.

Her works and contribution to Islamic finance has also been recognised internationally when she was listed as The Top 10 Most Influential Women in Islamic Business and Finance by Cambridge IFA for five (5) consecutive years from 2018 to 2022. Her contribution to Islamic finance industry in Maldives was recognised by the Government of Maldives when she was awarded the National-Recognition for Outstanding Contribution of Females to Develop and Sustain Islamic Finance Industry in Maldives in 2018.

Professor Dr. Amir bin Shaharuddin is the Director of Academic Management Centre in Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). He obtained a Bachelor Degree (Honors) in Shariah from University of Al-Azhar, Cairo, Egypt (2001) and a Master in Business Administration from International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia (2005). He was awarded a PhD (Arab & Islamic Studies) from University of Exeter, United Kingdom (2010).

 

He was the first Visiting Fellow under the Scholar in Residence Program (“Program”) with his research titled “Harmonising Shariah Rulings in Islamic Finance: Issues, Ways and Challenges”. The Program was a joint initiative between the Securities Commission Malaysia and the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.

He was also appointed as Visiting Professor at Urgench State University, Uzbekistan in 2018 and 2019 and an Adjunct Professor at UNITAR International University in 2021. His research interest is in Waqf and topics related to the application of fiqh muamalat in Islamic banking and finance industry. Among the significant positions that he held in USIM include the Dean of Faculty of Economics & Muamalat and Dean of Postgraduate Studies.


Currently, he also serves as the Chairman, Shariah Committee of SME Bank and the Chairman, Shariah Committee of Hong Leong MSIG Takaful Berhad as well as the Shariah Advisor, Employees Provident Fund (EPF). His areas of expertise are Fiqh Muamalat, Islamic Banking and Islamic Social Finance.

Dr. Safinar Salleh is currently a lecturer at the Department of Islamic Law, Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Law (AIKOL), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). She holds a PhD in Islamic Studies (Shariah) from University of Glasgow Caledonian, United Kingdom, a Master Degree in Shariah from University of Malaya, Malaysia and Degree in Shariah from the University of Al-Azhar, Egypt.

Dr. Safinar also at present, serves as one of the Shariah Committee members of Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Berhad (EXIM Bank), MUA Life Ltd (Mauritius) and as well as concurrently serves as a Shariah Committee member of Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd (Swiss Re Retakaful). Prior to that, she was the SC member of MUFG Bank (Malaysia) Berhad and Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN).

Dr. Safinar Salleh possesses abundance of experience in the field of Islamic Banking & Finance specifically in the area of Shariah advisory where she focuses on Islamic corporate sector and Takaful & Retakaful. Similarly, she also applies her expertise on Islamic Capital Market, Islamic law of contracts and Waqf.

Notably, Dr. Safinar has also published numbers of articles and books jointly written with other fellow academicians including HLISB SC Chairperson, Prof. Dr. Rusni Hassan where their joint publications were essentially on Islamic Banking and Takaful..

Dr Safinar has also contributed to the industry through her appointment as module reviewer of Takaful Module for Certified Shariah Advisor (CSA) & Certified Shariah Practitioner (CSP) certification which was developed and organised by Association of Shariah Advisors in Islamic Finance (ASAS) for Shariah Advisors and officers serving the industry. 

Professor Dr. Engku Muhammad Tajuddin is a lecturer at the Faculty of Islamic Contemporary Studies, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA). He holds a Master Degree and a PhD in Comparative Law from International Islamic University Malaysia, and a Degree in Shariah from the University of Al-Azhar, Egypt.

He has been appointed as the Committee Member of Fatwa Negeri Terengganu effective from 3 February 2023. Previously, he had held senior positions including the Director of Waqf and Endowment Office of UniSZA and the Dean for Faculty of Islamic Contemporary Studies and Head of Department, Department of Shariah, Faculty of Islamic Contemporary Studies of UniSZA.
 

Professor Dr. Engku Muhammad Tajuddin possesses wealth of experience in the field of Islamic Banking & Finance. His focus area would be on Islamic social finance particularly Zakat (alms), Waqf (endowment), administration and governance of property from Islamic perspectives and Islamic Jurisprudence.

He actively engages in extensive research activities to which he has made considerable contributions in publications of numerous research papers. Notably, he has also produced a number of research papers on Islamic finance and has participated and presented papers in numerous local and international major conferences which among others discuss on the topic of Waqf Asset and Salam & Salam Muwazi and its application in the Islamic Financial Institution in Malaysia.
 

Professor Dr. Engku Muhammad Tajuddin’s latest journal has been published in the Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education last year, titled: “Classification of Cryptocurrency: A review of the literature.” Additionally, he is one of the authors in the book ‘Tadbir Urus Harta dan Kewangan Islam di Malaysia’ which was published in 2019.
 

Previously, he was the SC member of Kuwait Finance House (M) Berhad and amongst his notable contributions to the industry is the development of learning Modules for Certified Shariah Advisor (CSA) & Certified Shariah Practitioner (CSP) certification. These programs are developed and organised by ASAS for Shariah Advisors and officers serving the industry.

Dr. Haji Razli bin Ramli is currently a Senior Lecturer at the Azman Hashim International Business School, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. He obtained a Bachelor in Economics from The Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia (1990) and holds a PhD in Management from Universiti Utara Malaysia (2020).
 

He is also serving as the Shariah Committee of Bank Simpanan Malaysia (BSN) since 2021. Previously, as the Director of Shariah and Business Advisory Department of Islamic Banking and Finance Institute Malaysia (IBFIM) (a Bank Negara Malaysia’s founded institution), he had advised more than 130 Islamic funds including Islamic Real Estate Investment Trusts and local and international asset management companies worth more than RM 24 billion.
 

Dr. Razli sits in the Think-Tank Group of Jabatan Wakaf, Zakat, and Haji (JAWHAR) under the Prime Minister’s Department, Malaysia. Previously, he had involved in the Think-Tank Group for the amendment of the Hire Purchase Act (HP Act) 1967 into an Islamic Hire Purchase Act.

Since 2014, he has been serving as the Panel Member by the Finance Accreditation Agency (FAA), international and independent quality assurance and accreditation body for the Financial Services Industry (FSI). He is part of the panels to develop professional development programs for financial institutions in Malaysia under the Asian Institute of Finance (AIF).

He is also the appointed adviser in enhancing value propositions of the Islamic products and solving issues related to Islamic finance requirements for companies and enterprises under authorities such as SKM and SSM. In addition, he sits as a Curriculum Panel to the professional development of learning programs for financial institutions in Malaysia by Asian Institute of Finance (AIF).

Dr. Razli possesses more than 25 years of experience in banking and finance (including 18 years in Islamic finance). His areas of specialisation include Shariah and business advisory. His proficiency lies in transforming traditional banking and financial processes into Shariah-compliant operations (first contribution to the industry - the implementation of an Islamic Banking Division at a Chinese based bank in Malaysia). He has spoken extensively in local forums and conferences as well as international forums and conferences held in Hong Kong, Japan, United Kingdom, China and Singapore. Among Dr. Razli’s notable publications is a journal titled “Understanding the mushārakah mutanāqiṣah of Koperasi Pembiayaan Syariah Angkasa (KOPSYA)” which has been published in the ISRA International Journal of Islamic Finance.