Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz
Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Malaysia
Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Malaysia's Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), has been a pivotal figure in Malaysia's economic landscape. Formerly serving as Finance Minister (2020-2022), he coordinated the National Recovery Plan, leading Malaysia's successful exit from the pandemic. With over two decades in financial services, Zafrul was the CEO of CIMB Group Holdings Berhad, a world leader in Islamic finance, and held senior roles in other prominent financial institutions. As Finance Minister, he orchestrated Malaysia's response to Covid-19, deploying eight stimulus packages worth over USD115.4 billion and two historic budgets totaling USD149.5 billion. Recently, as MITI Minister, he's led Trade and Investment Missions in countries like Singapore and China, securing potential investments of USD50 billion and exports worth USD2.4 billion. Formerly a member of the APEC Business Advisory Council and the National Sports Council of Malaysia, Zafrul is also an Honorary Commander of the Royal Malaysian Navy. He holds degrees from the University of Bristol and the University of Exeter, and authored "Weathering The Economic Storm: A Journey Through The Uncharted Waters of COVID-19," reflecting his leadership during the pandemic.
