All posts by Chiho Lee

Mirzan Mahathir, Chairman & CEO, Crescent Capital Sdn Bhd

Mirzan Mahathir founded Crescent Capital Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian investment holding and independent strategic and financial advisory firm. He currently manages his investments in Malaysia and oversees while facilitating business collaboration in the region.

He holds directorships in several public and private companies in South East Asia.

He also serves as President of the Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute, Chairman of several charitable foundations and a member of the Wharton School Executive Board for Asia and the Business Advisory Council of United nations ESCAP.

He was formerly the Executive Chairman and President of Konsortium Logistik Berhad (1992-2007), Executive Chairman of Sabit Sdn Bhd (1990-1992), Associate of Salomon Brothers in New York, USA (1986-1990) and Systems Engineer at IBM World Trade Corporation (1982-1985).

Mirzan graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Computer Science from Brighton Polytechnic, United Kingdom and obtained his Masters in Business Administration from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, USA.

Fermin Fautsch, Vice-President, Global Enterprise, Telekom Malaysia Group

Fermin Fautsch is currently Vice-President, Global Enterprise for Telekom Malaysia responsible for the Global and ICT business of TM Enterprise.

He is also a Board Director and Chairman of the EU Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EUMCCI) and a founding member of the EU ASEAN Business Council based in Singapore.

Fermin is a Systems Engineer and holds a MBA with honors from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a MA in International Economics from John Hopkins University. Fermin also taught international Business at the University of California, San Diego.

Previously, Fermin was Vice-President of ICT for VADS (ICT and BPO Company of the TM Group) responsible for the ICT and Carrier business (Global Service Provider business) of VADS.

Prior to joining the Telekom Malaysia Group, he served as CEO, Partner and Company Director of Logica South East Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Before coming to Asia, Fermin was CEO of Logica South America based in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

After his graduate studies, Fermin worked for more than 9 years as a management consultant with McKinsey & Co. in Europe and South America.  Prior to McKinsey, he joined the World Bank in the prestigious Young Professional Program, and worked as an economist in Nairobi, Kenya covering East Africa followed by an assignment as a Financial Officer in the Treasury Department in Washington, DC.    Fermin also served as a Board Member and Chief Information Officer of PT Prime, the corporate services provider of Portugal Telecom Group.

Fermin holds a Resident Pass in Malaysia where he has lived since 2009. He is an avid swimmer, diver, skier and golfer and has one son, Dimitri, who recently graduated from Northwestern University in the U.S.

Dr. Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Governor, Bank Negara Malaysia

Dr. Zeti Akhtar Aziz was appointed Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia in May 2000. At the central bank, Dr. Zeti had an important role in successfully managing the repair and resolution of the financial system during the Asian financial crisis and the consequent strong recovery of the Malaysian economy. In the decade that followed, she also had an important role in the reform and transformation of the Malaysian financial system, including overseeing the modernisation and enactment of ten major pieces of legislation for the financial sector. This period also saw the progressive liberalisation of the Malaysian financial system.

In the Asian region, Dr. Zeti has been actively involved in strengthening cooperation and financial integration. In 2006, she chaired the taskforce of the Executives’ Meeting of East Asia-Pacific Central Banks that prepared the report for the future direction of central bank financial cooperation in the region, which continues today. A founding member of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Asian Consultative Council, she was also the first co-chair of the Financial Stability Board Regional Consultative Group for Asia. Dr. Zeti also participates extensively in international fora in many parts of the world, including acting as the voice of emerging economies in highlighting their role in the global economy. Dr. Zeti was a member of the Commission of Experts of the President of the United Nations General Assembly on Reforms of the International Monetary and Financial System in 2009, a high-level taskforce established to examine reforms following the global financial crisis. She is currently the chair of the BIS Central Bank Governance Group, where she has been a member since 2001.

Dr. Zeti has also had an extensive role in the global development of Islamic finance, being part of the group of Governors that established the Islamic Financial Services Board and the International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation. She headed a taskforce that prepared a report identifying the building blocks that would further strengthen the institutional arrangements for financial stability in the Islamic financial system. Dr. Zeti also had a significant role in the development of talent in the Islamic financial services industry, including the establishment of the International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance, the first global university dedicated to Islamic finance.

For two decades, Dr. Zeti has been involved in the financial inclusion agenda at both the national and international levels, aimed at increasing the potential for more balanced economic growth.

Dr. Zeti received her Bachelor of Economics from the University of Malaya and her PhD in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Sasibai Kimis, W’00

Sasibai Kimis left a successful career in the finance industry to start the award-winning social enterprise and luxury craftsmanship brand Earth Heir in February 2013. Earth Heir’s story began with an appreciation for craftspeople and a desire to empower them to achieve sustainable livelihoods. Each Earth Heir piece exemplifies workmanship with the distinctive impression of human hands with personal and cultural narratives. Earth Heir is dedicated to the creation and preservation of disappearing heritage art forms while advocating fair trade principles and ethical partnerships.

As part of its social and ecological mission, Earth Heir focuses on sustainability of its products and supply chain, and also returns 10% of its revenue to organisations supporting survivors of human trafficking and plants two trees for every scarf purchased. Earth Heir won the British Council and Arthur Guinness Projects Social Enterprise Award 2015 and Sasibai was one of the Wharton’s “40 under 40” award winners in 2015 and is also an Eisenhower Fellow in the 2015 Women’s Leadership Program focusing on the issues of socio-entrepreneurship and preserving heritage craftsmanship skills.

Prior to Earth Heir, Sasi was a Vice President in the Investments division at Khazanah Nasional (Malaysia), a Director in the Private Equity team at First Avenue Partners LLP (London), worked in Ghana with Opportunities Industrialization Centers International and the United Nations Development Program, and in New York as an Investment Banking Analyst at Lehman Brothers.

Sasibai received a B.S in Economics (Finance and Management) cum laude from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and an M.Phil in Environment and Development from Cambridge University.

Bangkok 2015

Bangkok_15

In March 2015, Wharton faculty, alumni and business leaders from around the world gathered in Bangkok to debate ideas and explore new pathways for exploiting the possibilities and mitigating the pitfalls of today’s borderless world, and Asia’s central role in this rapidly changing business environment. The opportunities in Asia—from infrastructure to manufacturing to cutting-edge technological innovation to middle class consumption—have the potential to create better lives for hundreds of millions of people as well as to drive economic growth worldwide. The aim of the Bangkok Forum is to enhance your and Wharton’s ability to help realize the opportunities that lie ahead.

Beijing 2014

Beiijing

In June 2014, Wharton faculty, alumni and business leaders from around the world gathered in Beijing to discuss the challenges and solutions surrounding the theme “Growth Through Innovation.”Drawing upon the expertise of internationally recognized scholars and business leaders, the Wharton Global Forum Beijing featured master classes, panel and roundtable discussions, and keynote speeches exploring the ways in which innovations across industries and contexts can impact economic growth.The Forum examined, in part, how innovative practices within organizations promote corporate growth and may play a role in the development of a sustainable global economy.

Panama 2014

Panama

Panama

Inspired by the Panama Canal’s 100th anniversary, and given the interrelated nature of current business models, the Wharton Global Forum Panama featured a rich program of keynotes, panels and master classes exploring the theme “Connectivity.” Attendees discussed topics relating to Panama, Latin America and the broader business community, while examining strategies for better business practices and personal professional development.

Tokyo 2013

Tokyo

Tokyo

The Wharton School experienced significant growth since the Forum last visited Tokyo in 2002.  Under the theme of “Vitalization,” Forum Chairman Keisuke Muratsu, WG’75, established a program of interest to Wharton students, alumni, and business leaders worldwide. Wharton was also honored to have had Yotaro Kobayashi, WG’58, serve as Honorary Chairman.

Paris 2013

Paris

Wharton faculty, alumni and business leaders from around the world gathered in Paris to examine the theme “Talent.” In partnership with Wharton Alumni Relations and Lifelong Learning, the Forum’s Organizing Committee shaped content that focused on the ways in which organizations across industries cultivate, motivate and maximize talent. Taking into consideration the context in which we live and work, the Forum’s sessions examined such topics as negotiation strategies, creating a culture of innovation, managing up the chain of command, and leveraging creativity in the workplace.

Milan 2012

Wharton_Milano2012-(262)web

Milan

The first Wharton Global Alumni Forum 2012 was held in Milan, one of the world’s most beautiful and historic cities. As an important center of European business and finance, Milan is home to a large and growing population of Wharton alumni, and with its unparalleled culture and history, is a unique and inviting travel destination for business leaders from around the world. The Forum in Milan was the 41st in the series, which started in 1993. The Forum’s theme was “Switching Gears.”

Jakarta 2012

Jakarta 2012

Jakarta

Wharton enhanced its global presence by hosting its 2012 Forum in Jakarta. With the world’s preeminent business leaders having served as panelists and keynote speakers, the Jakarta Forum continued Wharton’s long-established tradition of global outreach and broad dissemination of information.  The Jakarta Forum featured pioneering and rewarding discourse, as well as unmatched opportunities to network with alumni and business leaders from around the world.

San Francisco 2011

729

gf2011

In 2011, the Wharton School brought its global events to the United States, through the Wharton Global Forum San Francisco. Although this marked the first time the School has held a Forum in the U.S., the event was truly global in its scope, scale and audience, exploring the theme “Creative Solutions for Global Challenges.” The San Francisco Forum was held in conjunction with the 10th Anniversary of the establishment of Wharton | San Francisco, the School’s West Coast campus.

Seoul 2010

DSCF2284

The theme of the 2010 Forums, “A Whole New World: Where Do We Go From Here?,” focused on the nature of the ever-evolving financial climate, examining fresh opportunities for growth and the emergence of exciting economies and business ideas from around the world. Participants shared personal insights and financial perspectives—lending a unique exchange of thought leadership to all who attended.

Madrid 2010

Madrid 2010

WF10-Madrid-HighRes

The Wharton Global Forum Madrid shared the theme of the 2010 Forums, “A Whole New World: Where Do We Go From Here?”  The Forum produced a number of engaging dialogues and discussions. These exchanges served as an acute catalyst for innovation, allowing better business practices to be shared and involved on an international scale.

Dubai 2009

LR6U0170_Dubai_1_of_4_Asdaa_11march2009_lowres

“AT THE CROSSROADS OF GLOBAL ECONOMIC CHANGE”

The Dubai Global Forum was one of three Forums held in 2009 to celebrate and strengthen the global business community. All Wharton alumni and business constituents worldwide were welcome and encouraged to attend any or all of the three Forums, which were hosted in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Bogotá, Colombia, and Beijing, China.

Beijing 2009

selectedforweb

“GLOBAL CROSSROADS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY”

The Beijing Global Forum was one of three Forums held in 2009 to celebrate and strengthen the global business community. All Wharton alumni and business constituents worldwide were welcome and encouraged to attend any or all of the three Forums in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Bogotá, Colombia, and Beijing, China.