In every organisation, there are the visionaries and drivers who work
their magic in various industries and International Business Review
has had the privilege of speaking with them and telling their stories.
However, there are those who stay behind the scenes but wield considerable power by being the nucleus of all the company’s necessary operations.
From positioning the senior management to ensuring the company receives positive reporting by various channels and engaging with the rakyat to let them know how the company has their best interests at heart… They are everywhere and work tirelessly for the company’s future and their bosses. These are whom we call the Hidden Gems.
For this edition, we introduce to you Ahmad Azri Zainal Nor, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Communications, Menteri Besar Selangor Incorporated (MBI).
AHMAD AZRI ZAINAL NOR
Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Communications
Menteri Besar Selangor Incorporated (MBI)
“Allow me to be an example of how it’s never too late to find your calling. I’m a land surveyor by training, and was with Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) for 18 years. My old job felt isolating. Nobody would be looking for me personally in any official capacity. So me, being very much a people person, I sought a position that allowed me to interact with communities, which brings us to today.
When I first joined Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI) Selangor, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Corporate Communications were initially separate departments; as Head of CSR, with only three staff under me. The merged department has 20 now.
Ensuring that the right message goes out is not easy with so many parties involved: the Chief Minister (Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari), MBI’s 24 subsidiaries, corporate, and of course, the people. As Head, I am effectively always on call, more so if a crisis arises. Still, I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve been able to achieve, because when people come to us and show that they trust us, I know we are absolutely on the right track.
I know we are capable of so much more. I consider Selangor’s various programs and initiatives our own ‘holy scripture’, giving us the guidelines to pave the way for us to set examples for not just the other states of Malaysia, but also regionally, and why not worldwide? For that to become reality, I want to uplift Selangorians and bring about a change in mindset that will get us capable of competing at an international level.
I should think it goes without saying we need to overcome challenges that could stymie communication. When we know our roles and how we can contribute, we can send across our messages that much more effectively.”
