MRANTI’s new CEO is former MDEC chairman & prolific writer Dr Rais Hussin

MRANTI (Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology & Innovation) has announced the appointment of Datuk Wira Dr Rais Hussin Mohamed Ariff as its new CEO.

Effective October 9, 2023, Rais will be taking over from the current Acting CEO and Chief Commercial Officer, Khairil Anuar Sadat, who had filled the vacant position left by former CEO Dzuleira Abu Bakar.

According to a press release from MRANTI, as CEO, Rais will be responsible for driving the strategic vision of MRANTI and overseeing its day-to-day operations.

The release also stated that Rais has over 28 years of experience and a strong track record of leadership in various sectors, particularly in the fields of telecommunications, technology, and entrepreneurship.

A prolific portfolio

Rais’ past experiences include roles at Telekom Malaysia, MCI WorldCom Malaysia, Teleglobe Canada, Axis Technologies, and GoldNet Resources, his LinkedIn biography shows. Previously, he was the Chairman at MDEC (Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation).

Here, it’s also highlighted that Rais was the one responsible for overseeing the preparation of the first election manifesto to “ever trigger a change of government in Malaysia”.

Described as a “visionary strategist and prolific writer” by MRANTI on LinkedIn, Rais’ passions are said to include disruptive innovation, big data, app-driven economies, algorithms, and AI.

His CV states that he has written more than 200 articles, technical reports, published conference abstracts, and papers tabled within international organisations.

Accelerating impactful ideas

For the uninitiated, MRANTI is Malaysia’s central research and innovation commercialisation agency, with the goal of accelerating ideas to market.

Headquartered at MRANTI Park, a 686-acre 4IR (Fourth Industrial Revolution) innovation hub in Kuala Lumpur, it supports the growth of smart manufacturing, biotech, agritech, smart city, green tech, and enabling technology clusters.

According to MRANTI’s website, it has the solutions for “What’s Next”.

“What’s next is for the seeds of ideas to grow and make an impact,” it reads. “MRANTI is Malaysia’s answer to fast-tracking these ideas to market and transforming them into game-changers that stand tall amongst the world’s best.”

On Rais’ LinkedIn, it says that the new CEO “has a passion for bringing together the best possible resources and talents in pursuit of a prosperous, just, and dynamic Malaysia.”

His new role as the CEO of MRANTI will be able to help him do just that.

Featured Image Credit: Datuk Wira Dr Rais Hussin Mohamed Ariff / MRANTI