Minister of Finance
Malaysia
Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz was appointed the Minister of Finance, Malaysia on 9 March 2020. He is also a Senator of Dewan Negara, the upper house of the Malaysian Parliament. Recently, he has been reappointed to the same position following the appointment of YAB Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the 9th Prime Minister of Malaysia.
With over 22 years of experience in banking and finance, he is a respected figure in the financial services sector, particularly in change management and investment banking. Prior to his appointment as the Minister of Finance, he was the Group CEO/Executive Director of CIMB Group Holdings Berhad, ASEAN’s fifth largest universal bank and a world leader in Islamic finance. Tengku Zafrul was also the President Commissioner of PT Bank CIMB Niaga Tbk, Indonesia’s second largest private bank.
Tengku Zafrul has served as CEO of Maybank Investment Bank Berhad and Maybank Kim Eng Holdings, as well as in senior positions in Citigroup Malaysia, Kenanga Holdings Berhad and Avenue Securities. He has also ventured into entrepreneurship as (position) of Tune Money Sdn Bhd, Asia’s first “no-frills” online financial service provider.
Tengku Zafrul graduated from the University of Bristol, United Kingdom in Economics and Accounting. He holds a Masters in Finance and Management from the University of Exeter, United Kingdom and is certified as a Fellow Chartered Banker by the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers in 2015.
As an advocate of Malaysia’s socioeconomic development, Tengku Zafrul often engages with the youth on topics he is passionate about, such as leadership, sustainability and techpreneurship. In 2015, he combined his interest in running and charity by raising RM200,000 for Make-A-Wish Malaysia through his first marathon, the Tokyo Marathon. Tengku Zafrul is also an Honorary Commander of the Navy Volunteer Reserve under the Royal Malaysian Navy.
