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- Abdul Rahman said rising protectionism, slowing global growth and rapid technological shifts—particularly in artificial intelligence (AI)—are redefining how economies and businesses operate, underscoring the need for companies and individuals alike to adapt.
KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 21): Given the “anemic” yield in the past decade, Permodalan Nasional Bhd’s (PNB) president and group chief executive Datuk Abdul Rahman Ahmad is telling Malaysian corporates to transform to deliver better shareholder returns.
Abdul Rahman pointed out that the FBM KLCI’s total shareholder returns over the last 10 years were “anaemic” at below fixed deposit rates.
He warns that Malaysian companies must not rest on their laurels, so as to “avoid another lost decade”.
In his welcoming remarks at PNB Knowledge Forum 2025, Abdul Rahman said rising protectionism, slowing global growth and rapid technological shifts—particularly in artificial intelligence (AI)—are redefining how economies and businesses operate, underscoring the need for companies and individuals alike to adapt.
Abdul Rahman said PNB has also undergone significant transformation, moving from a predominantly domestic investor to an increasingly global, multi-asset investment house.
PNB, according to Abdul Rahman, has continued to deliver sustainable returns to unitholders, distributing RM14.5 billion last year — the highest in five years — bringing total cumulative distributions to RM263.7 billion since inception.
“At the same time, we are transforming how we serve our customers, from enhancing digital platforms and expanding our products to changing our distribution model — all aimed at making investing more accessible, convenient and personalised.
“We hope, taken together, these transformation efforts will build the foundation for a stronger, more future-ready PNB,” he said.
He added that there is also a need for individuals to develop new skills, adapt to new ways of working, and rethink how they save and invest for the future, as technology and AI continue to transform daily life and the global economy.
“The relevance of transformation at every level is clear. Yet we are mindful that transformation, while powerful, is not automatically positive. Change can bring progress and improvements but also adverse effects and negative disruption, and its outcome depends on how it is led and navigated,” he said.
“At PNB, we believe responsible transformation must be purposeful, disciplined, and deliver meaningful impact. For us, this means every transformation we undertake must be directed towards delivering better outcomes for our unitholders, in line with our purpose of enhancing the financial lives of Malaysians across generations.”
As Penang girds itself towards the last lap of its Penang2030 vision, check out how the residential segment is keeping pace in EdgeProp’s special report: PENANG Investing Towards 2030.
