KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), established some 40 years ago, is today the country’s largest fund manager, managing funds worth RM279 billion, said its Group Chairman, Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar.

He said 98 per cent of the fund were invested locally to create business and economic opportunities for Malaysians, including providing equal opportunities to Bumiputera professionals in the corporate sector.

Since PNB’s establishment, more than RM172 billions of cumulative dividends had been paid out to unit holders, he said in his speech in conjunction with PNB’s 40th anniversary Saturday.

Last year, the dividend and bonus distribution for ASB, as well as other ASNB unit trusts amounted to a payout of RM14.4 billion.

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Wahid said it was heartening to note that 70 per cent of PNB’s fund were invested in the stock market/public equity.

“Our investments in Bursa Malaysia are worth RM200 billion, which makes up more than 10 per cent of Bursa Malaysia’s total market capitalisation.

“This includes stakes in 10 strategic companies, namely Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank), Sime Darby Plantation Bhd, Sime Darby Bhd, Sime Darby Property Bhd, SP Setia Bhd, UMW Holdings Bhd, UMW Oil & Gas Bhd, Chemical Company of Malaysia Bhd (CCM), CCM Duopharma Biotech Bhd, and MNRB Holdings Bhd.

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PNB also has stakes in more than 40 core companies such as Telekom Malaysia Bhd, Axiata Group Bhd, MMC Corporation Bhd, Tenaga Nasional Bhd and BIMB Holdings where PNB owns more than 10 per cent equity or investment worth more than RM1 billion.

Wahid also said PNB and ASNB employed more than 1,500 people, with half of them being young talent, aged 40 years and below.

“If we were to include all employees across strategic companies, our talent pool would exceed 179,000.

“Half of this number is in Malaysia and the remaining across the globe. I am pleased to share that 50,000 of our talent pool are Malaysians,” he said.

From a gender diversity perspective, a majority of PNB’s talent are women, and its strategic companies comply with the requirement of having 30 per cent women on its boards.

Three out of 10 of its strategic companies have ladies as their Chairman.

“They are Datuk Mohaiyani Shamsuddin for Maybank, Datuk Normala Abdul Samad for CCM and Tan Sri Siti Sa’adiah for CCM Duopharma. Datin Paduka Kartini is another example of a leading lady at PNB as one out of the three Deputy Presidents at PNB.

“Additionally, we also have a lady CEO (Chief Executive Officer), Nik Fazila of CCM,” Wahid said.

PNB workforce has worked tirelessly to implement all 15 strategic initiatives under the three pillars of STRIVE-15 to enhance sustainable returns, effective investment management, and drive operational excellence.

In November 2016, Wahid and PNB CEO Datuk Abdul Rahman Ahmad announced the strategic plan for PNB 2017-2022 called STRIVE-15, with a vision for PNB to become a distinctive world-class investment house.

“Alhamdulillah it has progressed smoothly and has generated much success, including the increase in income which enabled PNB to distribute dividend and bonus of 7.25 sen, including a special bonus of 1.00 sen for the first 10,000 units to Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) unit holders in conjunction with our 40th anniversary,” Wahid said.

Currently, PNB has 13.3 million investors.

Wahid said in conjunction with PNB’s 40th anniversary, it would like to express its appreciation for the services and dedication of the company’s past leaders beginning with Tun Ismail Mohamed Ali and Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid.

The appreciation also goes to all previous CEOs, namely Tan Sri Desa Pachi, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, Datuk Seri Mohd Hilmey and Tan Sri Hamad Kama Piah, all of whom played integral roles in shaping PNB as a national institution of integrity, Wahid added. — Bernama