CMDP: Module 1 Directors as Gatekeepers of Market Participants

OUTLINE MODULE 1 – DIRECTORS AS GATEKEEPERS OF MARKET PARTICIPANTS

Dr. Ismet Yusoff
Chief Executive Officer, Minority Shareholders Watch Group

Dr Ismet Yusoff is a seasoned corporate governance advocate with vast experience as a policymaker and strategist on governance and sustainability practices. He plays an active role in raising the corporate governance and sustainability standards of corporates in Malaysia by working closely with local and international stakeholders, including regulators, standard setters, professional bodies, and corporates.

Dr Ismet is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Minority Shareholders Watch Group (MSWG). Before MSWG, Dr Ismet was the Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysian Institute of Corporate Governance (MICG) and served the Securities Commission Malaysia. He was instrumental in formulating Malaysia’s corporate governance and sustainability regulatory framework, best practices, and strategic priorities. These include the development of the Malaysian Code of Corporate Governance, Malaysia’s Corporate Governance Strategic Priorities, Governance Code for Malaysia MSMEs, Guidelines on the Conduct of Directors of Listed Corporations and Their Subsidiaries, Guidelines on Corporate Governance for Capital Market Intermediaries and Bursa Malaysia Listing Requirements, including Bursa Malaysia Sustainability Reporting Framework. He was also involved in developing analytics and machine learning systems for regulatory monitoring of governance disclosures, establishing the Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia and other industry-led initiatives on corporate governance and sustainability.

Dr Ismet was the Secretariat for the ASEAN Corporate Governance Initiatives under the ASEAN Capital Market Forum (ACMF). He managed the ASEAN corporate governance scorecard assessments involving six ASEAN countries and organised the inaugural ASEAN Corporate Governance Awards in Manila, Philippines.

Dr Ismet graduated from the International Islamic University Malaysia. His doctoral thesis was on the effect of corporate governance and capital structures on the performances of Malaysian publicly listed companies.

Norhisham Abd Bahrin
Corporate and Mergers & Acquisitions Partner, Azmi & Associates

Norhisham Abd Bahrin is a Corporate and Mergers & Acquisitions Partner at Azmi & Associates, a legal firm with 85 lawyers in KL (https://www.azmilaw.com/). His corporate practice areas focus on investments, restructuring and corporate governance.

• Over 20 years of corporate legal experience
• Advocate & Solicitor at the High Court of Malaya
• Graduated from the International Islamic University Malaysia with LLB (Hons.) in 1999.
• Holds an MBA in International Business from the Royal Docks Business School (University of East London).

Norhisham regularly speaks on legal issues affecting businesses including on Mergers & Acquisitions, Companies Act, Corporate Governance and Corruption Prevention for various public and in-house corporate trainings for many entities including the Securities Industry Development Corporation (SIDC), Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA), Malaysian Insurance Institute (MII), and the Malaysian Directors Academy (now known as the Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia). He has also coached board members of public listed companies and GLCs including for PETRONAS, Sime Darby Bhd, UMW Holdings Bhd, PERODUA, FGV, FELCRA, PUNB, PNS, MARA, Pelaburan Mara Berhad, PKNS and many others.