Datuk Dr. Ahmad Parveez is currently the Director General of Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB). He was appointed as a Fellow of The International Society of Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology (ISBAB) in 2024, Fellow of Academy Science Malaysia in 2016 and Member of National Biosafety Board (2018 – 2026). In July 2021, he was appointed as a Member of the Science Council of Malaysian Agricultural Research & Development Institute (MARDI). He sits on various other Boards; Board of Trustee of Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC, 2019 – July 2023), Board of Trustee of Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO, 2019 - 2025) and Board of Trustee of Institute of Malaysian Plantation and Commodities (IMPAC). Datuk Dr. Ahmad Parveez was previously the Chairman of Genetic Modification Advisory Committee under the National Biosafety Board (GMAC, 2010 – 2018). In October 2021, Datuk Dr. Ahmad Parveez was appointed as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia (UPM) for 2 years. He is also very active in various professional societies including as the President of International Society for Oil Palm Breeders (ISOPB), Chairperson for the Asian Section of American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS) and Board Member of The International Society of Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology (ISBAB).

Datuk Dr. Ahmad Parveez was born in Taiping, Perak and obtained his secondary education at Sekolah Menengah King Edward VII, Taiping. He graduated with Bachelor of Science (UKM) in Genetics, Master of Science (UKM) in Molecular Genetics and a PhD (UPM) in Plant Genetic Engineering. He has 35 years of experience in Plant Molecular Biology, Genetic Engineering and Biosafety. He developed world first transgenic oil palm in 1997. His interest is in genetic modification of oil palm, biosafety of living modified organisms and oil palm sustainability.

He has obtained a number of prestigious awards both locally and internationally. He has 18 patents filed and 11 of them have been granted. He has authored and co-authored more than 100 papers in refereed journals and more than 250 conference papers.

Director and general manager of Kim Loong Palm Oil Mills Sdn Bhd
Graduated with a bachelor degree in Chemical Engineering from National Taiwan university in 1978
A first grade steam engineer with more than 45 years of hand on experience for multiple breakthrough in palm oil mill waste, biogas, biomass and down stream treatment

Woon leads the Additives & Specialities business of Behn Meyer AgriCare on strategic and operational activities, focusing on delivering innovative, green, value-added technologies in the segment of plant nutrition solution that have the potential to contribute to sustainable agriculture systems locally and the regionally.

Prior to Behn Meyer AgriCare, Woon served in senior management roles managing cross-functional initiatives within Crop Protection and Specialties Fertilizers sector covering Emerging Countries and APAC with DeltaChem, Compo Expert Germany and DuPont Crop Protection. With over 20 years of specialization in various technology solutions on Nutrient Efficiency Technology and Crop Protection Solution, Woon is passionate in advocating Sustainable Agriculture and believes that Innovation in agriculture is critical to enhance effectiveness, competitiveness and resilience.

Woon received the Bachelor Science Degree in Human Development from University Putra Malaysia

Work Experiences/ Area of Expertise/Interest

• More than 20 years of experience in oil palm crop improvement
• He is active in journal publications, developing new oil palm varieties and his work has been presented in many local and international conferences.
• His current research focus in Advanced Agriecological Research Sdn Bhd (AAR) is developing new oil palm varieties using various approaches, ranging from classical breeding to molecular breeding.
• He is currently serving as the division head of the crop improvement division encompassing the plant breeding section, tissue culture section and biotechnology section, in AAR

Roslin Azmy holds a degree in Plantation Industry and Management from UiTM, with 41 years of experience in the plantation industry. His expertise includes serving as Chief Executive Officer Upstream Malaysia, SD Guthrie from 2018 to 2024, Chief Operating Officer Minamas Plantation Indonesia as the Country Head of Sime Darby Plantation Liberia from 2013 to 2015. He has also completed the Leadership Programme at Asia Institute of Management (AIM) Manila, Asean Senior Management Development Programme at Harvard Business School and the High-Performance Leadership Programme at IMD, Switzerland.

Dr. Loh is the Head of Energy and Environment Unit of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB). She obtained her PhD (Inorganic Synthesis) from National University of Singapore. Her R&D expertise is biomass, bioenergy and biorefinery. She actively involves in ISO/Malaysian standards drafting, climate change negotiation and national greenhouse gas inventory establishment. Also provides advisory services to the industry, and oversees national biogas implementation. She is a professional chemist registered under the Malaysian Institute of Chemistry. She was the recipient for Top Research Scientists Malaysia 2016 and World's Top 2% Scientists (career-long impact, 2022-2023; single year impact, 2019-2023) ranked by Stanford University based on updated science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators. She serves as Editorial Board member in Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery. She publishes >115 scholarly articles (H-index 30, Scopus), and holds 8 patents of which several have been commercialized.

24 years learning and managing the Estate Operations and working in the Mechanisation Department.

18 years in HQ assigned to the Corporate Services, Advisory and Mechanisation Departments.

The papers that he presented were basis trials / time and motion studies that my team and I undertook in the plantations. They were extensive, proven and can be commercially implemented in terrain suited environment.

He is a mechanical engineer, graduated in UK, University of Bradford. He is a hands-on engineer with 32 years of working experience in palm oil industry.

He is a PAC member in MPOB. He also held various posts such as Group Engineer, Chief Technical Officer and Technical director throughout his career.

He possesses experiences in palm oil mill, refinery and bio-diesel process.

He developed the low-cost CPO washing system while working in IJM and collaborated closely with MPOB. This led to obtaining a patent on the process.

He owns other patents on specialized mill processes.

Currently, he is running his own business in providing technical solutions to palm oil industry and mill assessment services.

Leslie is a Director at Ongs Properties Group of Companies with palm oil plantation operations in both Sabah and Sarawak. A family-run business, he undertakes a range of tasks whilst navigating the unique nature of the oil palm industry.

Prior to this appointment, Leslie was a Manager in the Sustainability & Climate team of PwC’s South East Asia Consulting practice where he worked on projects ranging from greenhouse gas analysis and reporting, sustainability assurance, to sustainability valuation projects for multinationals.

WAN MOHAMAD NISAL BIN WAN SEMBOK, holds a Diploma in Plantation Industry Management from University Technology Mara Pahang (UITM) and has professional membership with ISP (The Incorporated Society of Planters).

He has more than 25 years of experience in oil palm plantation management in both peat and mineral soil estates. He has been holding a managerial post for the past 15 years which includes a senior managerial post since in 2017 (8 years).

He worked with Tradewinds Plantation Berhad (11 years) in 2000 to 2005 and 2009 to 2015, Achi Jaya Plantation (formerly known as Socfin) in 2005 – 2009 (4 years) and has been with Sarawak Plantation Berhad since in 2015 (10 years).

Has 22 years of experience in agronomy-related fields, including formulating fertilizer recommendations, managing plant and soil nutrition, overseeing pest and disease management, nursery management, conducting soil surveys and land feasibility study.

Additional proficiency in plant breeding, seed production, GIS, GPS and laboratory management.

Strong interest in plantation management, with a track record of overseeing 7,000 hectares for approximately 2.5 years. Responsible for monitoring and controlling the implementation of operational activities and budget utilization periodically to ensure that activities align with the work plan and budget.

Currently involve in peat management and water management projects.

Started career as Project Entomologist at EMPA/MCGC Cocoa Pod Borer Project in 1984 before moving to positions in ICI Agrochemicals, BAL Plantations Bhd, Hap Seng Consolidated Bhd before joing United Plantations in 2005.

40 years of experience on the agronomy and pest control of oil palm, cocoa, coconut and rubber.

Currently leading a team of researchers in the applied research of oil palm, coconut and banana breeding, agronomy and biotechnology.

Mohd Haris Mohd Arshad, a Malaysian, was appointed as Group Chief Operating Officer of SD Guthrie Berhad on 1 January 2024. He was also the Managing Director of SD Guthrie International, which position he assumed from March 2019 until August 2024. He joined the Group in 2014 and prior to the demerger of the Sime Darby Group, led the then Sime Darby’s Global Trading & Marketing unit and Plantation Division’s Downstream Manufacturing division.

As the Group Chief Operating Officer, he oversees SD Guthrie’s upstream operations in Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea & Solomon Islands, and SD Guthrie’s Research & Development. He also spearheads key transformation programmes and various corporate exercises for the Group towards operational excellence, environmental stewardship, and innovation. During his tenure as the Managing Director of SD Guthrie International, he led initiatives in market expansion and revenue growth, focusing on bulk trading, differentiated product offerings for industrial customers also known as Business-to-Business and high-quality end-consumer products for its Business-to-Consumer segment.

He began his career in 1995 as a trader with Cargill in Malaysia, where he was involved in the trading of palm oil and palm products and ensuring uninterrupted supply of feedstock to the refineries. He relocated to the Philippines in 1999 to join Cargill’s copra crushing operation where he was involved in sourcing of copra across the Philippines and merchandising coconut oil in Europe. In 2001, he moved to Nestle Malaysia and was subsequently transferred to London to join its global cocoa procurement and price risk management desk. In 2006, he was relocated to Singapore to establish Nestle’s Commodity Procurement Centre for Asia, Oceania and Africa Regions and was appointed General Manager & Head of Global Oils and Fats. In these roles, he was responsible in leading supplier development works as well as regional oils and fats procurement initiatives. In 2010, he moved on to Unilever in Singapore, as Director of Commodity Risk Management and headed a team of price risk managers based in the USA, Switzerland, and Singapore. The team was responsible in managing Unilever’s global oils and fats price exposure within its annual spend budget, while developing market analysis and price forecasting.

Mohd Haris is currently the Chairman of the Palm Oil Refiners Association of Malaysia (PORAM) and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC), and Chairman of Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO). He is also a Non-Independent, Non-Executive Director of Duopharma Biotech Berhad. Additionally, he serves as the Director for FGV Johor Bulkers Sdn Bhd and Emery Oleochemicals UK Limited. Mohd Haris graduated from the University of Arizona, in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. In 2019, he attended the Advanced Management Program (AMP) at the Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts.