Companies in Malaysia should include youths as board members – Nazir Razak

KUALA LUMPUR: Companies in Malaysia, including the government and the private sector, should include the younger generation and make it a compulsory requirement to have them as board members, to maximise creativity in the nation’s economy.

Chairman and founding partner of Ikhlas Capital Tan Sri Nazir Razak said every board should have at least one person in his or her 30s and Malaysia should take a lead on the initiative.

“This is important for better innovation as a way forward while Malaysia promotes digital practice and smart partnership in the country,” he said at the launch of WORQ’s seventh outlet in Menara UOA Bangsar today.

He also said Malaysia needs to empower the youth to be economically successful compared to neighbouring countries, and also lift the shackled mind of the young.

Besides that, he said, co-working spaces were now hubs of technological innovation that served as a launching pad for numerous aspiring startups.

“This is a significant step towards fostering innovation and collaboration in Malaysia’s dynamic business landscape.

“The growing digital economy in Malaysia is the result of a number of factors, which also makes Malaysia a more desirable location for tech and digital companies looking to expand their presence in the Asean region,” he said.

Meanwhile, WORQ co-founder and chief financial officer Andrew Yeow said the co-working and flex space provider aims to hit 200,000 square feet of space by the end of this year as the company has up to 150,000 square feet at the moment.

“Since 2017, WORQ has fostered over 266 startups and 122 tech companies, emerging as the leading co-working space in Malaysia,” he said.

He added that WORQ aims to enable over 10,000 workers in Malaysia as this is part of the company’s immediate plans to expand its total space under management to 450,000 square feet by 2025. – BK