Boards of Directors

Yap Yoon Kong

Independent Non-Executive Chairman

| Aged 67 | Male

Yap Yoon Kong was appointed to our Board on 31 March 2023.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Accounting (Honours) from University of Malaya in 1982 and obtained a Master of Business Administration from The Cranfield Institute of Technology, UK in 1993. He is a member and a Chartered Accountant of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants since 1987 and 2001 respectively. He is also a member of the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers (formerly known as Institute of Bankers Malaysia) since 1984.

He began his career as an Officer in United Malayan Banking Corporation Berhad (currently known as RHB Bank Berhad) in 1982 and he was responsible for banking and credit operations. He left United Malayan Banking Corporation Berhad and joined Diners Club (Malaysia) Berhad as an Accountant in 1984. He was in charge of the accounts and finance department. Subsequently in the same year, he left Diners Club (Malaysia) Berhad and joined Southern Bank Berhad (currently known as CIMB Berhad) as Credit & Marketing Officer. As a Credit & Marketing Officer, he was responsible for the customer credit and marketing of banking products.

In 1990, he joined Pegi Malaysia Berhad (currently known as Asian Pac Holdings Berhad, a company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities), as Corporate Planner and he was responsible for the corporate finance and restructuring works. He was promoted to Financial Controller in 1993 where he was responsible for the financial management works. In 1994, he left Asian Pac Holdings Berhad and joined Eastern & Oriental Bhd, a company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities, as Financial Controller, a position he held until 1996. He was responsible for the overall financial management of the company. He joined PJ Development Holdings Berhad in 1996 as Group Financial Controller, and was promoted to Executive Director of the company in 2006 and was later re-designated to Non-Independent Non-Executive Director in 2016, a position he has held until 2017.

He is also currently the Senior Independent Non-Executive Director of Inta Bina Group Berhad, a company listed on the Main Market of Bursa Securities since 25 May 2017.

Non-Independent Non-Executive Chairman

| Aged 68 | Male

Chan Hup Ooi, is our Promoter, substantial shareholder and Non-Independent Non-Executive Deputy Chairman. He co-founded Zantat together with Teh Ah Soon @ Teh Soon Tick (our Promoter and substantial shareholder). He was appointed to our Board on 31 March 2023. After completing his secondary education in 1974, he started as a kitchenware salesman independently where he handled sales related activities in Klang Valley from 1975 to 1976. Subsequently in 1976, he joined Sagami Sdn Bhd as a Machine Operator where he was involved in the production cycle and responsible to maintain production activity logs.

Chan Hup Ooi left Sagami Sdn Bhd in 1977 and was firstly introduced to the production of calcium carbonate when he joined Ban Loong Trading Company Sdn Bhd in the same year as a storekeeping clerk for the factory. He was later promoted to Production Manager in 1979 and he was responsible for planning, organising, and overseeing the production process to ensure efficient operations, cost control and quality assurance. He left Ban Loong Trading Company Sdn Bhd in 1981 and then joined Anglo American Corporation (M) Sdn Bhd in Malaysia as a salesman in the same year to sell chainsaw and saw chain products. He then left the company in 1983 to join Cheng Sun Quarry Sdn Bhd as a Production Manager managing its production operations.

After leaving Cheng Sun Quarry Sdn Bhd in 1986, he focused on Zantat’s business which he acquired together with Teh Ah Soon @ Teh Soon Tick as well as 5 other shareholders in 1985. Since then, he became Zantat’s Managing Director, where he has been involved in the overall management and day-to-day business operations of Zantat until 2021, when he officially relinquished his executive role and became a non-executive Director of Zantat, where his daily responsibilities were succeeded by his children.

Chan Bin Iuan

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer

| Aged 39 | Male

Chan Bin Iuan is our Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer, responsible for overseeing and managing the day-to-day operations of our Group. He was appointed to our Board on 31 March 2023.

He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nottingham in 2006. He began his career at Cairnhill Metrology Sdn Bhd in 2006 as Application Engineer where he was responsible for performing demonstration and installation of new metrology equipment.

In 2007, he left Cairnhill Metrology Sdn Bhd and joined Zantat as Business Development Executive where he managed the digitalisation process and business development activities of Zantat. In 2008, he was promoted to Business Development Manager where he led the company to obtain ISO 9001 quality management system, developed Zantat’s first website and handled international inquiries as the brand exposure increased.

During his tenure as Business Development Manager, he led the expansion of Zantat’s business to India. In 2022, he was promoted to Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer of Zantat, a role which he continues to assume, where he is responsible for manging the company’s organisational structure, developing strategic objectives and directions and establishing corporate culture.

Chan Jee Chet

Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer (Perak Plant)

| Aged 35 | Male

Chan Jee Chet is our Executive Director / Chief Operating Officer (Perak Plants), responsible for the overall operations of the Perak Plants. He was appointed to our Board on 31 March 2023.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Business and Commerce specialising in Marketing from Monash University, Malaysia in 2012 and started his career at Zantat in 2012 as a Business Development Executive.

Together with Chan Bin Iuan, he is also responsible for Zantat’s sales and marketing activities, in particular the company’s expansion into the India market. Besides India, he also handles sales in the Oceania region. He is also the team leader of Zantat’s new product development team since 2020.

In 2022, he was promoted to Chief Operating Officer of the Perak Plants, where he is responsible for overseeing various departments of the Perak Plants production, plant operations, purchasing, inventory management, quarry operations, plant maintenance and engineering, R&D, logistics, customer service, quality assurance as well as sales and marketing.

Poo Lap Tuck

Independent Non-Executive Director

| Aged 72 | Male

Poo Lap Tuck was appointed to our Board on 31 March 2023. He is the Chairman of our Audit and Risk Management Committee and a member of our Nominating Committee and Remuneration Committee.

He completed his professional level paper of Association of Chartered Certified Accountants 1986 in Emile Woolf College of Accountancy. He is a Chartered Accountant of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants since 1987 and a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants since 1988.

He began his career in 1977 as an audit clerk with Lim Chooi Tee & Co and left in 1979 to join Yit Seng Sdn Bhd as Finance & Administration Manager, where he was responsible for overseeing the company’s finance and administration functions. He left Yit Seng Sdn Bhd and joined Maju Industrial Trading Sdn Bhd in 1984 as a Manager, Marketing, Finance & Administration where he was responsible for overseeing the company’s marketing, finance and administration functions. He left Maju Industrial Trading Sdn Bhd in 1985 to further his studies in London.

In 1987, he returned to Malaysia and joined Sam Management Services, a secretarial firm, as Accounts and Administration Manager. He was responsible for providing management services to the clients. He left Sam Management Services in 1989 and acted as the corporate consultant for Union Paper Holdings Berhad’s restructuring exercise from 1989 to 1990, and he later joined Union Paper Holdings Berhad as Group Financial Controller in 1990. He was responsible for the corporate financial works where he oversaw the corporate matters and financial accounting functions of the group. In February 1999, he left Union Paper Holdings Berhad to focus on his own business, via Star Corporate Services Sdn Bhd which he acquired the company in October 1998. As a Managing Director, he was responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operation of the company.

He left Star Corporate Services Sdn Bhd in 2016 to join Zantat as Chief Financial Officer where he was responsible for the financial and accounting functions of Zantat and its group of companies. Subsequent to his retirement in 2019, he re-joined Star Corporate Services Sdn Bhd as a Director in August 2020 until September 2021. Star Corporate Services Sdn Bhd had provided corporate services to our Group between 2019 to 2021. He disposed of his shareholding in Star Corporate Services Sdn Bhd to his spouse in November 2016.

Gan Seng Kian

Independent Non-Executive Director

| Aged 46 | Male

Gan Seng Kian was appointed to our Board on 31 March 2023. He is the Chairman of our Nominating Committee and a member of our Audit and Risk Management Committee and Remuneration Committee.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) in 2001 from University of Technology Malaysia. In 2003, he obtained a Master degree of Engineering (Civil - Construction and Management) from University of Technology Malaysia. Subsequently, he obtained his doctorate in Business Administration in 2010 from United Business Institutes, Brussels and he further completed his Master of Business Administration from Nottingham Trent University, UK in 2012. In 2021, he obtained his Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration from North Borneo University College, Malaysia.

He began his career as Sales Engineer with BlueScope Lysaght (M) Sdn Bhd in 2003, where he was responsible for the sales and technical support for clients in both Johor and Melaka. In 2005, he left BlueScope Lysaght (M) Sdn Bhd and joined Perusahaan Huat Soon Chan Sdn Bhd as Operational Manager, where he was responsible for the operation management of the steel fabrication and erection division. He resigned from Perusahaan Huat Soon Chan Sdn Bhd in 2009 and joined Industrial Fasteners Sdn Bhd where he was the Managing Director, being responsible for the overall management of the business. In 2013, he left Industrial Fasteners Sdn Bhd and joined M Metal (M) Sdn Bhd where he was the General Manager and was responsible for the setting up the business for Malaysia market and reporting to group Managing Director who is based in Singapore.

He resigned from M Metal (M) Sdn Bhd in 2015 and he founded Genesis Academy Sdn Bhd, a private limited company involved in provision of education and training. He is responsible for spearheading the business direction and overseeing the operations of the company. In the same year, he joined Metal Sphere Sdn Bhd (now known as Formino Metal Sdn Bhd), a company principally involved in manufacturing of building materials as its Chief Executive Officer, where he was responsible to oversee the day-to-day operations of the company. He left Formino Metal Sdn Bhd in 2017 to continue and focus on his entrepreneurship in Genesis Academy Sdn Bhd since then.

Rima Ramona Binti Muhammad Arif

Independent Non-Executive Director

| Aged 50 | Female

Rima Ramona Binti Muhammad Arif was appointed to the Board on 31 March 2023. She is the Chairman of our Remuneration Committee and a member of our Audit and Risk Management Committee and Nominating Committee.

She graduated from The University of Wales, Aberystwyth in 1999 with a Bachelor of Laws and obtained the Certificate in Legal Practice in 2000. She was admitted as an Advocate & Solicitor of the High Court in Malaya in 2001. Thereafter, in 2002, she joined Messrs Adam Bachek & Associates as a Legal Associate where she spearheaded the litigation department specialising in debt recovery and civil suits. She left the firm in 2006 to join Messrs NK Tan & Rahim as a Legal Associate where she was responsible for dealing with conveyancing and banking litigation. Subsequently in year 2007, she joined Messrs Raslan Loong (now known as Messrs Raslan Loong, Shen & Eow) as a Legal Associate where she handled corporate as well as conveyancing matters.

In 2007, she left the firm to join Messrs Shahrizat Rashid & Lee as a Legal Associate, where she was assigned to handle several high-profile conveyancing and corporate matters. She left in 2009 and joined Messrs Dennis Nik & Wong as a Partner, where her areas of expertise include retail and corporate banking including Islamic banking transactions, sale and purchase agreements, joint venture agreement, concession agreements, probate and administration matters, commercial loans and share sale agreements. She also advises on entertainment law such as artists management contracts, recording contracts and intellectual property and copyrights related thereto. In 2023, she left the firm to join Messrs Lee & Koh as a Partner, a position she currently assumes. Her practice area and job responsibilities are similar to those undertaken by her in Messrs Dennis Nik & Wong.

She does not hold any directorships in other companies outside our Group.