Latest news with #AmirulFeisalWanZahir
New Straits Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Khazanah eyes AI deals with French, Italian sovereign funds
KUALA LUMPUR: Khazanah Nasional Bhd has held a series of productive meetings with the French and Italian sovereign wealth funds to explore cross-border collaboration, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Managing director Datuk Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir said the discussions focused on how Malaysian, French and Italian companies could work together amid shifting global geopolitical dynamics. "We looked at how we can collaborate (with them) when it comes to technology innovation, and even some of the mid-tier companies that they have and that we have, and see how we can collaborate further. "We realised that we were facing the same issues: how do we look at being globally competitive using artificial intelligence and innovation, and how can we find new markets," he told reporters in Brazil at the conclusion of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's official visits to Italy, France and Brazil. Khazanah was part of the Malaysian delegation on the official visits, which began on July 1 and were aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and boosting trade and economic cooperation. Other major Malaysian participants included Petroliam Nasional Bhd, Tenaga Nasional Bhd, Malayan Banking Bhd, FGV Holdings Bhd and YTL Power International Bhd. Amirul Feisal said Khazanah has partnered with Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, Italy's national promotional institution, for two years, and with Bpifrance, also known as Banque Publique d'Investissement, for three years. The visits to Rome, Paris and Rio de Janeiro were also part of efforts to reinforce diplomatic and commercial ties with key economic partners. Collectively, bilateral trade with Italy, France and Brazil amounted to RM50.91 billion (US$11.14 billion) last year. Khazanah posted its highest-ever annual return in 2024, achieving a net asset value (NAV) time-weighted rate of return (TWRR) of 24.6 per cent, a sharp increase from 5.7 per cent the year before. Its total portfolio, or realisable asset value (RAV), rose to RM151.3 billion, while operating profit reached RM5.1 billion.
The Sun
08-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Khazanah explores AI deals with French and Italian sovereign funds
KUALA LUMPUR: Khazanah Nasional Bhd has engaged in high-level discussions with French and Italian sovereign wealth funds to explore potential collaborations, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI). The meetings, held during Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's official visits to Italy, France, and Brazil, aimed to strengthen economic ties and foster innovation. Managing director Datuk Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir highlighted the shared challenges faced by Malaysia, France, and Italy in leveraging AI for global competitiveness. 'We looked at how we can collaborate when it comes to technology innovation, and even some of the mid-tier companies that they have and that we have, and see how we can collaborate further,' he said. Khazanah's partnerships with Italy's Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and France's Bpifrance have already laid the groundwork for deeper cooperation. The sovereign wealth fund's recent financial performance further strengthens its position, with a record net asset value return of 24.6 per cent in 2024. The official visits also included major Malaysian corporations such as Petronas, Tenaga Nasional, Maybank, FGV Holdings, and YTL Power International. Collectively, Malaysia's bilateral trade with Italy, France, and Brazil reached RM50.91 billion last year, underscoring the importance of these economic relationships. - Bernama
The Star
08-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Khazanah eyes AI deals with French, Italian sovereign funds
Khazanah managing director Datuk Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir KUALA LUMPUR: Khazanah Nasional Bhd has held a series of productive meetings with the French and Italian sovereign wealth funds to explore cross-border collaboration, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Managing director Datuk Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir said the discussions focused on how Malaysian, French and Italian companies could work together amid shifting global geopolitical dynamics. "We looked at how we can collaborate (with them) when it comes to technology innovation, and even some of the mid-tier companies that they have and that we have, and see how we can collaborate further. "We realised that we were facing the same issues: how do we look at being globally competitive using artificial intelligence and innovation, and how can we find new markets,' he told reporters in Brazil at the conclusion of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's official visits to Italy, France and Brazil. Khazanah was part of the Malaysian delegation on the official visits, which began on July 1 and were aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and boosting trade and economic cooperation. Other major Malaysian participants included Petroliam Nasional Bhd, Tenaga Nasional Bhd , Malayan Banking Bhd , FGV Holdings Bhd and YTL Power International Bhd . Amirul Feisal said Khazanah has partnered with Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, Italy's national promotional institution, for two years, and with Bpifrance, also known as Banque Publique d'Investissement, for three years. The visits to Rome, Paris and Rio de Janeiro were also part of efforts to reinforce diplomatic and commercial ties with key economic partners. Collectively, bilateral trade with Italy, France and Brazil amounted to RM50.91 billion (US$11.14 billion) last year. Khazanah posted its highest-ever annual return in 2024, achieving a net asset value (NAV) time-weighted rate of return (TWRR) of 24.6 per cent, a sharp increase from 5.7 per cent the year before. Its total portfolio, or realisable asset value (RAV), rose to RM151.3 billion, while operating profit reached RM5.1 billion. - Bernama
The Star
24-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Khazanah, unit pick first five venture capital firms
PETALING JAYA: Khazanah Nasional Bhd and its subsidiary, Jelawang Capital, have selected their first five venture capital (VC) firms under the Emerging Fund Managers' Programme (EMP) and Regional Fund Managers' Initiative (RFI) to nurture local VC fund managers and cultivate a more vibrant VC capital ecosystem. The firms selected under the EMP are Vynn Capital, Kairous Capital and First Move, while two firms chosen under the RFI were AppWorks and Granite Asia. The EMP programme is structured to support Malaysian fund managers in raising their first, second or third fund with the goal of creating regionally competitive VC fund managers by strengthening fund governance, building track record and crowding in capital, said a joint statement by the sovereign wealth fund and Jelawang Capital. The RFI initiative aims to attract regional and global fund managers who are committed to enriching the local startup ecosystem, through supporting the growth of Malaysian startups to be regional and global players, including facilitating the re-domiciliation of global companies in Malaysia to expand local job capabilities and attract quality talent in the Malaysian ecosystem. 'Through Dana Impak and Jelawang Capital, we act as both catalyst and connector – bringing together funders, founders, and institutions to strengthen a venture ecosystem that supports firms from nimble startups to medium enterprises and established corporates. 'Our focus is not just on capital, but on crowding in participants to build an ecosystem where innovation can thrive –enhancing Malaysia's economic competitiveness and resilience,' Khazanah's managing director Datuk Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir said in a statement yesterday. The VC firms were selected through a rigorous evaluation process focused on the funds' investment thesis, strength of core team, governance and alignment with strategic national development priorities. Jelawang Capital chairman Datuk Hisham Hamdan added: 'We began with a systems-driven approach to ecosystem building and, via the EMP and RFI, we are excited to support the next generation of Malaysian fund managers and deepen the pool of quality founders. 'In that respect, we are proud to work with this group of high calibre fund managers, while further crowding-in capital, talent, expertise and capabilities into this ecosystem. In shoring up this ecosystem, we look forward to working with like-minded partners and investors.' Jelawang Capital is a company under Dana Impak and will act as Malaysia's national fund-of-funds to strengthen the VC ecosystem with its allocation of RM1bil. Dana Impak plays a catalytic role in Khazanah's investment strategy, and works to catalyse the VC ecosystem, levelling up mid-tier companies and strengthening the country's position in semiconductor and advanced manufacturing. Khazanah and Jelawang Capital stated that Vynn Capital is a VC firm with a focus on the mobility and supply chain sectors across seed to Series A investment stages with a focus on the South-East Asia region. Kairous Capital's roots are in technology and has positioned itself as a cross-border specialist, supporting Malaysian startups in scaling into key South-East Asian markets, including Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia. It can also facilitate regional growth for high-potential companies and the transfer of innovation and know-how from technologically advanced countries like China. First Move, meanwhile, is a founder-led VC firm backing pre-seed stage startups across South-East Asia. AppWorks is an early-stage VC from Taiwan that fuses an equity-free accelerator with founder-first capital to scale Greater South-East Asia's tech startups – and has a top-quartile distribution to paid-in capital track record. Its investment mandate is in artificial intelligence, blockchain and digital economy in South-East Asia. Granite Asia is a leading multi-stage investor focused on transformative opportunities across Asia, with a track record of building over 115 unicorns and achieving 61 initial public offerings globally. Its early-stage fund will back transformative startups across Asia in sectors like consumer tech, enterprise software, healthcare, advanced manufacturing and automation.
Business Times
24-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Malaysia's Khazanah picks Singapore, Taiwan VC firms to help fire up next wave of startups
[KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional has selected Singapore-based Granite Asia and Taiwan's AppWorks as the first of five venture capital (VC) firms under two strategic programmes to transform Malaysia into a regional venture capital hub. The announcement, made on Tuesday (Jun 24) by Khazanah and its wholly owned subsidiary Jelawang Capital, marks the first rollout of its Emerging Fund Managers' Programme (EMP) and the Regional Fund Managers' Initiative (RMI), which were launched last October. The five selected fund managers under EMP and RMI are expected to deploy over RM200 million (S$60.5 million), a significant portion of which will be channelled into Malaysia-Nexus companies, supporting around 50 early-stage firms, said Khazanah managing director Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir. 'Our hope is that these five managers will nurture the next wave of Malaysian startups, and that over time, these startups and those who fund them will become mentors, backers and anchors for the next generation,' he said at a media briefing in Kuala Lumpur. He added that the initiatives are part of Khazanah's broader goal to act as both 'catalyst and connector' through its Dana Impak impact-investment platform and Jelawang Capital. Khazanah, Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund, managed US$36 billion in assets as at the end of 2024. Last October, it launched Jelawang Capital, a national fund-of-funds, designed to accelerate the growth of Malaysia's venture-capital sector through investments and partnerships with fund managers. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 8.30 am Asean Business Business insights centering on South-east Asia's fast-growing economies. Sign Up Sign Up Granite Asia and AppWorks As RMI partners, Granite Asia and AppWorks will seek to draw foreign fund managers to Malaysia's startups, with the aim of building regional and global entities. It is hoped that this will encourage global companies to re-domicile in Malaysia, create jobs and attract top talents to its ecosystem. Granite Asia, formerly known as GGV Capital Asia, is a leading multi-stage investor focused on transformative opportunities across Asia; it has a track record of building over 115 unicorns and was behind 61 initial public offerings globally. The firm will back transformative startups in Malaysia through its early-stage fund, focusing on sectors such as consumer tech, enterprise software, healthcare and advanced manufacturing. In partnership with Khazanah and Jelawang Capital, Granite Asia will also offer local entrepreneurs access to its founder network and strategic programmes to help Malaysian startups to scale beyond the local market into the region and globally. AppWorks, a Taiwan-based early-stage VC, stands out for combining equity-free accelerator programmes with founder-centric capital deployment. It plans to roll out Malaysia-focused Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 startup cohorts, backed by local experts and its regional founder network. AppWorks' investment mandate includes artificial intelligence, blockchain and digital-economy startups across South-east Asia, with a track record of top-quartile returns. Local VC firms take centre stage Out of the first five VC firms, three Malaysian firms – Vynn Capital, Kairous Capital and First Move – were selected under the EMP. EMP is structured to support Malaysian fund managers in raising their first, second, or third fund with the goal of creating regionally competitive VC fund managers by strengthening fund governance, building track records and crowding-in capital. Kuala Lumpur-based Vynn Capital focuses on mobility and supply-chain startups from seed to Series A funding exercises across South-east Asia. Kairous Capital, which specialises in cross-border expansion, homes in on Malaysian tech startups looking to penetrate high-growth markets in Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. The firm also channels know-how from China to Malaysian ventures. First Move, is a founder-led firm backing pre-seed startups, often acting as the first institutional investor. It focuses on co-building startups with experienced operators and second-time founders. Building a regional VC powerhouse Malaysia's Second Finance Minister Amir Hamzah Azizan, who also attended Tuesday's event to launch EMP and RMI, said one of the most important lessons from global innovation hubs is that thriving ecosystems do not come about by chance; they are intentionally cultivated. 'In Malaysia, we are laying the foundations for such an ecosystem, driven not just by capital, but by conviction. 'And we are beginning to see results. This month, Kuala Lumpur entered the Top 20 Emerging Startup Ecosystems globally – a first for Malaysia, and a testament to the power of coordinated ambition.' Jelawang Capital chairman Hisham Hamdan expects that, with the collaboration of this group of high-calibre fund managers, the country will be able to attract more capital, talent, expertise and capabilities into Malaysia's ecosystem. The EMP and RMI initiatives form a key pillar of the Malaysian Venture Capital Roadmap 2024-2030, which aims to make the country a preferred regional hub by the end of the decade. The programmes also support the Malaysian government's goal of unlocking RM1 billion in investments to fund high-growth entrepreneurs and attract institutional capital to early-stage companies.
