PETRONAS Dagangan names VP of marketing as new CEO and MD

PETRONAS Dagangan, the principal marketing arm of Petroliam Nasional (PETRONAS), has appointed Dato' Sri Syed Zainal Abidin Bin Syed Mohamed Tahir (pictured) to the role of CEO and MD.According to a filing on Bursa, the appointment is effective 1 June 2018 and he replaces Datuk Mohd Ibrahimnuddin Mohd Yunus. Dato' Sri Syed Zainal Abidin Bin Syed Mohamed Tahir is currently VP, marketing, downstream business for PETRONAS, as well as the chairman and director of various subsidiaries within PETRONAS Group.He was appointed as an independent non-executive director of RHB Bank on 6 October 2015, and has more than 30 years of experience in the corporate world. His other directorship in the public company includes RHB Islamic Bank. He is also known for his role as the group managing director of national car manufacturing company, Proton Holdings, a role he has held from 1 January 2006 until 2012. He also sat on the boards of Proton group’s various subsidiaries before leaving the company in May 2012.In 2017, former regional head of marketing at PETRONAS Lubricants International, Jean Ler, exited the company to join Pizza Hut Malaysia as its CMO. In her role, she heads up marketing, including brand management, innovations and consumer insights. Last year, PETRONAS also extended its partnership with Mercedes as its title sponsor for Formula One.Earlier in 2018, the company was also criticised for producing a lightly-coloured ang bao, which many consumers thought to be white. White, as pointed out by several netizens, is the colour given to show sympathy. Red on the other hand, is congratulatory.The ang bao was based on a design from its original artwork from Galeri Petronas art collection, and the image was said to be depicting a “new dawn and hopes for the new year”.