Board of Directors
Dato’ Boonler Somchit
Non-Executive Chairman
Non-Independent
He graduated with a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Ecology (Honours) from Universiti Malaya (“UM”) in 1977. In January 1978, he joined UM as a Graduate Assistant and he was subsequently promoted to Administrative Assistant in May 1979 and to Assistant Registrar in April 1982 where he was involved with administrative functions in various departments within UM before leaving UM in June 1984.
In August 1984, he joined the ASEAN Food Handling Bureau, a non-profit organisation involved in food handling consultancy and research, where he was responsible for the administration and management function of the organisation. He left in January 1988 and in February 1988, he joined Sunway College Sdn Bhd as the Registrar where he oversees and administers the overall administration and academic functions of the company. He left Sunway College Sdn Bhd in May 1989. In June 1989, he joined PSDC as a director and was subsequently designated as the CEO. He was responsible for overseeing the overall operations, management and development of the centre before retiring in February 2014.
During his tenure with PSDC, he was instrumental in providing leadership and strategy development to ensure PSDC’s continued relevance as a talent development organisation. He developed and maintained high-level key relationships with the PSDC management team, multinational corporations, SMEs and many government bodies and agencies, including TalentCorp, NCIA, Khazanah, EPU, and MIDA. His other key responsibilities in PSDC include managing the operational and budget matters for the organisation, interfacing with trainers/subject matter experts and interacting with stakeholders and customer base to develop opportunities to support customers’ development needs.
He also represented PSDC as a guest speaker at national and international seminars, symposiums and conferences. He was also involved in providing consultancy and advisory services for several feasibility studies and setting up training and development centres nationally and internationally. He also sat on several boards and steering committees at both national and state government bodies/agencies.
Koh Dim Kuan
Chief Executive Officer
Executive Director
A Malaysian aged 43, is our Promoter, substantial shareholder and Executive Director/CEO. He was appointed to our Board on 8 February 2024. He is responsible for the business strategy, development, management and the overall operations of our Group.
He graduated with a Diploma in Technology (Electronic Engineering) and an Advanced Diploma in Technology (Electronic Engineering) from Tunku Abdul Rahman College in 2002 and 2004 respectively. He subsequently obtained a Bachelor in Electronics Systems Engineering from Sheffield Hallam University, United Kingdom in 2004.
He started his engineering career as a Graduate Trainee with Intel Microelectronics (M) Sdn Bhd in November 2004. He was promoted to Validation Design (Senior) in February 2005 where he was involved with post-silicon validation, product validation test plans and strategies, new product validation, managing project resources and providing technical debug support.
He left the company in November 2008 to join Sophic Design as the Operation Manager and subsequently became a partner in October 2009. He was mainly responsible for overseeing the business operation as well as coordinating the overall training and consultancy works for Sophic Design. Sophic Design, a partnership formerly set up by Lee Chee Hoo, ceased its operation and transferred all of its businesses to SDTC Innovation Center Sdn Bhd (now known as System Innotech Integration Experts Sdn Bhd) (“SIIE”) and the partnership subsequently expired in February 2011.
In May 2009, he co-founded SIIE to undertake engineering and technical training, design and consultancy services. During his tenure at SIIE, he co-ordinated an industrial automation training development course, which included an advanced programmable logic controller module, microcontroller application design, servo controller training kit, and sensor and data acquisition integration. In addition, he also managed the semiconductor tests and measurement lab in the Selangor Human Resource Development Centre to support requests from industrial engineers, conduct training and prototype product test and measurement services. In May 2015, he resigned as a director and ceased to be a shareholder of SIIE to focus on the business of our Group. SIIE had since been dissolved in July 2023.
Leveraging on his experience and expertise in control system design and engineering as well as his network of customers in the industry, he joined Sophic Automation in June 2011 and assumed the role of Chief Operations Officer to oversee the overall operations, marketing and business development activities. He was redesignated as our CEO in June 2020. In November 2011, he co-founded Sophic MSC with Lee Chee Hoo to initially undertake information system engineering and solution development activities.
Together with Lee Chee Hoo, he has been instrumental in the development, growth and success of our Group. He has been involved in the semiconductor industry for more than 15 years with extensive knowledge in automation solutions and engineering services. He was the Chairman of Malaysia Industrial 4.0 System Integrator Association since January 2021 and he resigned in January 2023.
Lee Chee Hoo
Chief Digital Officer
Executive Director
A Malaysian aged 51, is our Promoter, substantial shareholder and Executive Director/CDO. He was appointed to our Board on 8 February 2024. He is responsible for leading and facilitating our Group’s business solutions, business growth and collaboration with ecosystem partners.
He graduated with a Bachelor in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Universiti Sains Malaysia in 1998.
He started his career in June 1998 as an Engineer with Golden Hope Fibreboard Sdn Bhd where his responsibility included overseeing automation functions involving electrical devices and instruments at the company’s manufacturing plant. In February 1999, he left the company to join Intel Products (M) Sdn Bhd as an Equipment and Process Engineer where he was responsible for various production and quality control activities including equipment and tooling development, product yield loss elimination activities and production capacity savings.
He was promoted to Package Design Engineer and Electrical Analysis and Design Engineer in February 2001 where he was responsible for developing models and simulations for semiconductor chips. In January 2004, he was transferred to Intel Technology Sdn Bhd as a Senior Design Integrator, where he led a team of engineers in designing advanced semiconductor packaging for network processors. He was also responsible for the overall project management including managing production schedules, resource planning and design execution. He left Intel Technology in June 2007. During the same year, he set up a partnership, namely, Sophic Design, to offer technical training courses, design and consultancy services such as automation training kits and technical training program. In February 2011, Sophic Design ceased its operations and transferred all its businesses to SIIE, and the partnership subsequently expired in the same month.
He joined Sophic Automation as its director and became one of its shareholders in November 2008, and then assumed the role of CEO in 2013.
Together with Koh Dim Kuan who joined Sophic Automation in June 2011, he gradually grew the business of Sophic Automation to be involved in the automation and digitalised solutions business and subsequently incorporated Sophic MSC with Koh Dim Kuan in November 2011. In August 2012, he became a director of SIIE where he was involved in the management of the overall business operations. In August 2015, he left SIIE to focus on growing and expanding our business operations. He was redesignated to his current position as a CDO in July 2020 and has since successfully guided and led the development of new digitalised solutions for our Group.
Together with Koh Dim Kuan, he has been instrumental in the development, growth and success of our Group. He has been involved in the automation and digitalisation industry for more than 20 years and has vast knowledge in the area of design and development of automated and digitalised solutions.
Ahmad Khairuddin Bin Abdul Rahim
Non-Executive Director
Independent
He obtained a Diploma in Business Studies from Institut Teknologi MARA (now known as Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)) in 1983. He also obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration from Eastern Michigan University, USA in 1985 and a Master of International Business Administration from the United States International University, USA in 1988.
He started his career as an Assistant Registrar with International Islamic University, Malaysia in February 1989 where he was involved with general administration. He left the university in December 1990 and in January 1991, he joined MIDA as an Assistant Director in several divisions i.e. Resource Based Industries Division, Planning Division and Industry Support Division. In December 1999, he was assigned as Assistant Director to MIDA office in London, UK. He returned to Malaysia in February 2003 and was attached to the Manufacturing-related Services Division and was later promoted to Senior Assistant Director.
He was subsequently promoted to Deputy Director in December 2005 and to Senior Deputy Director (Logistic Services and Regional Operation Division) in January 2008. In November 2009, he was assigned as Director to MIDA office in Sydney, Australia. In January 2013, he returned to Malaysia and assumed the position of Director in Clean/Green Technology and Management Division. He was subsequently promoted to Executive Director of Investment Promotion in July 2014, after which he was transferred to the Manufacturing Development (Resource) in May 2015. In May 2019, he was promoted to Senior Executive Director for Strategic Planning and Development. He was subsequently promoted to Deputy Chief Executive Officer for Investment Development in December 2019.
He retired from MIDA in February 2022 and he brings with him more than 30 years of working experience and knowledge with MIDA in various roles and functions. Throughout his tenure with MIDA, he was responsible for overseeing the investment promotion and industrial development of areas under the purview of MIDA. His portfolio in MIDA was on investment development, covering 11 divisions, namely, business services and regional operations; chemical and advanced materials; electrical and electronics: food technology and resources; life sciences and medical technology; lifestyle; machinery and metal; oil and gas, maritime and logistics; green technology; healthcare, education and hospitality; transport technology; and one unit, i.e., biocircular economy.
He does not have any past or present involvement in other companies outside of our Group.
Hanita Binti Othman
Chief Executive Officer
Executive Director
A Malaysian aged 58, is our Independent Non-Executive Director. She was appointed to our Board on 20 March 2024. She is a member of our Audit and Risk Management Committee and the Nomination Committee.
She graduated with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (“ACCA”) from Emile Woolf College, United Kingdom in 1989.
She is a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants and a fellow of ACCA.
She started her career in auditing when she joined Coopers & Lybrand Kuala Lumpur as Audit Semi-Senior in June 1990. During her tenure at Coopers & Lybrand Kuala Lumpur, she was involved in various statutory and non-statutory audit of companies, due diligence review, internal control review and reporting accountant activities. She left Coopers & Lybrand Kuala Lumpur in September 1997 as an Audit Manager, to join SPK Sentosa Corporation Bhd as Senior Accountant where she was involved in managing the group’s accounting activities. In February 1998, she left SPK Sentosa Corporation Bhd to join Price Waterhouse (presently known as PricewaterhouseCoopers) as Audit Manager where she continued her career in auditing. In September 1999, she left Price Waterhouse to join the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (presently known as Bursa Securities) as a Manager of the Financial Review and Surveillance department where she was involved in monitoring corporate activities and financial irregularities of listed companies.
In January 2001, she was transferred to the Securities Issues department in preparation to undertake a review of applications for listing on the Malaysian Exchange of Securities Dealing and Automated Quotation (“MESDAQ”) Market (revamped into the ACE Market in 2009). This also involved secondment to the SC’s Securities Issues department. The KLSE-MESDAQ merger was completed in March 2002. She became Head, Issues of the Securities Issues department in 2003. In January 2005, she was transferred to the Group Strategic Planning department where she was responsible for planning business strategies, monitoring Bursa Securities-wide initiatives and the implementation of certain initiatives under the Capital Market Masterplan.
In January 2006, she joined the SC as Assistant General Manager where she resumed her previous function involving the assessment and processing of applications for companies’ listing on the MESDAQ Market as well as secondary fund raisings on the Main Board, Second Board and MESDAQ Market. In September 2009, she left Securities Commission Malaysia and returned to Bursa Securities as Head of Issuers - ACE Market department where she continued her role in the assessment and processing of applications for listing on the ACE Market. In February 2017 she was transferred to the Primary Market of Securities Market division where she was involved in the marketing and development of initial public offering and fundraising ecosystem. In August 2018, she was promoted to Senior Vice President of the Primary Market, Listing Development department. In March 2021, she left Bursa Securities to pursue her personal interests in other areas of corporate finance. Since March 2022, she serves as a consultant for Brunei Darussalam Central Bank on matters relating to listing and public offerings.
She does not have any past or present involvement in other companies outside of our Group.
Joyce Wong Ai May
Non-Executive Director
Independent
A Malaysian aged 48, is our Independent Non-Executive Director. She was appointed to our Board on 20 March 2024. She is the Chairwoman of our Audit and Risk Management Committee and a member of our Remuneration Committee and Nomination Committee.
She obtained a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Tasmania, Australia in 1998. She is a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants, a corporate member of the Institute of Internal Auditors Malaysia and a fellow member of the Certified Practicing Accountants, Australia.
She began her career as an Accounts Executive with Smith Zain Securities Sdn Bhd in June 1999 and later became the Head of Finance in 2002 under BBMB Securities Sdn Bhd, Penang Branch (BBMB Securities Sdn Bhd took over the business of Smith Zain Securities Sdn Bhd). She was responsible for treasury, management accounting and financial accounting. Following a takeover of the business of Smith Zain Securities Sdn Bhd by BBMB Securities Sdn Bhd, she was rehired as the company’s Penang branch Head of Finance in December 2002 where she was in charge of the overall branch-level activities for the Finance department before leaving the company in January 2004.
In February 2004, she joined Hwang-DBS Securities Berhad as an Internal Audit Officer where she was responsible for conducting independent audits on risk management, operations, and financial areas. In July 2004, she left HwangDBS Securities Berhad. In August 2004, she joined Fastrack Corporate Sdn Bhd as an Executive, mainly responsible for handling secretarial-related matters for private and public companies. She left the company in January 2005 and joined UHY Malaysia as an Audit Supervisor and was subsequently promoted to Director in January 2015, where she was in charge of supervising the firm’s overall operations.
She left the firm in May 2016 to set up her own consulting firm, JWC Consulting Sdn Bhd which provides business management consultancy services and serves public listed companies with reviews on their business processes, corporate governance and risk management. Joyce also sits on the Industry Advisory Panel of the School of Business of Disted College, Penang.
She is currently an Independent Non-Executive Director of Dufu Technology Corp Berhad, PCCS Group Berhad and Edelteq Holdings Berhad, public companies listed on Bursa Securities. Further details of her past and other present involvements in companies outside of our Group are disclosed in Section 5.2.3 of this Prospectus.
Teresa Tan Siew Kuan
Non-Executive Director
Executive Director
A Malaysian aged 55, is our Independent Non-Executive Director. She was appointed to our Board on 20 March 2024. She is the Chairwoman of our Nomination Committee and also a member of our Audit and Risk Management Committee and Remuneration Committee.
She graduated with a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Adelaide, Australia in 1992. She is a member of the Certified Practising Accountant (Australia) and the Malaysian Institute of Accountants.
She started her career as an Audit Assistant with Kassim Chan + Co (now known as Deloitte) in February 1992, where she was involved in external audit fieldwork for financial statements and internal control procedures for corporate clients. In October 1993, she left and joined Coopers & Lybrand (now known as PriceWaterhouse Coopers) as a Tax Assistant, where she was mainly involved in tax audit works. In June 1995, she left and joined Malaysian International Merchant Bankers Berhad (now known as Hong Leong Investment Bank Berhad) as an Executive, Corporate Finance and held her last position as an Assistant Vice President, Corporate Finance and Acting Branch Manager in July 2004. She then left to join K&N Kenanga Berhad (now known as Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad) in August 2004 as a Senior Manager, Corporate Finance. During her tenure with the investment banks, she mainly provided corporate advisory services to corporate/institutional clients and public listed companies.
She left in August 2007 and took a 1-year career break before joining KDU College Penang (now known as UOW Malaysia KDU Penang University College) in August 2008 as a lecturer in accounting and auditing subjects of the Australian tertiary twinning programmes. She left KDU College Penang in November 2009 and in February 2010, she rejoined K&N Kenanga Berhad (currently known as Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad) as a Senior Manager for the investment banking division, where she was responsible for marketing the group’s products and services. In March 2014, she was transferred to Kenanga Investors Berhad, Penang as the Vice President, Business Development Manager where she was mainly responsible for the marketing and distribution of products and services to the retail market segment and the financial, operational and administrative matters of the Penang branch.
In November 2017, she left Kenanga Investors Berhad and joined TT Vision Holdings Berhad as the Chief Finance Officer where she was responsible for the overall finance and accounts of the group whilst overseeing the listing exercise of the company on the LEAP Market of Bursa Securities. She left TT Vision Holdings Berhad in September 2019. Currently, she provides management and business consultancy services on a freelance basis.
She is currently an Independent Non-Executive Director of PLB Engineering Berhad and IQ Group Holdings Berhad, public companies listed on Main Market of Bursa Securities. Further details of her past and other present involvements in companies outside of our Group are disclosed in Section 5.2.3 of this Prospectus.
Mohammad Hazani Bin Hassan
Non-Executive Director
Non-Independent
A Malaysian aged 59, is our Non-Independent Non-Executive Director. He was appointed to our Board on 20 March 2024. He is also a corporate representative of MTDC to our Board.
He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the California State University, Sacramento, USA in 1988 and a Diploma in Management for Technology from the Singapore Institute of Engineering Technologists in 1993.
He started his career as a Research Assistant with SIRIM Berhad in October 1988 where he was mainly responsible for research work. He left the company in March 1989 to join Omron (M) Sdn Bhd as a Management Trainee.
He left the company in March 1993 with his last position as Section Head, where he was involved in managing engineers and technicians for daily operations of plant facilities and machinery. During the same month, he joined MTDC as an Assistant Manager of Investment. He had held several positions within MTDC before he left as Assistant General Manager, Investment and Special Project in July 2001. He was mainly involved in deal sourcing and evaluation, deal structuring, technology transfer (locally and abroad) and fundraising activities.
In August 2001, he joined Kumpulan Modal Perdana Sdn Bhd (“KMP”) in August 2001 as Senior Vice President. He was also seconded to Hi Tech Ventures Capital LP in Silicon Valley, USA between October 2004 and October 2007. He left the company in May 2012 with his last position as the Principal. During his tenure with KMP, he was involved with venture capital funds activities, managing special projects, including the local microchip design initiative and business accelerator operation through plug and play technology management. In June 2012, he rejoined MTDC as Director, Technology Transfer and Commercialisation. In June 2015, he was promoted to Director, Technology Ventures Division before being promoted to his current position as CEO in January 2023.
He has vast experience in fund management, venture capital and technology transfer having been involved in the industry for the last 30 years, both locally and internationally. He was previously the Chairman of the Malaysian Venture Capital Association and a management committee member of the Technopreneur Association of Malaysia management committee.
He also sits on the Board of Sophic Automation. Details of his past and other present involvements in other companies outside of our Group, including several MTDC’s investee companies,
Key Senior Management
Liew Chee Kin
Director of Sophic MSC
A Malaysian aged 42, is the Director of Sophic MSC. He graduated with a Diploma in Electronic Engineering (Computer) from Ungku Omar Polytechnic in 2003.
He started his career as a Mask Designer with Kelly Services (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd in December 2003, where he was assigned to an engineering support services project with Intel Microelectronics (M) Sdn Bhd to design and test ICs. In January 2005, he was absorbed as a full-time employee and was designated as an Engineer Technician, where he performed pre-silicon and post-silicon validation activities. He left Intel Microelectronics (M) Sdn Bhd in January 2006. In January 2006, he joined Vitrox Technologies Sdn Bhd as a Service Engineer, providing customer technical support services for the company’s automated visual inspection equipment. In July 2007, he left to join Keyence (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd as Consulting Sales Engineer, where he proposed suitable solutions, undertook sales activities, performed installation and provided technical support services for the company’s automated equipment to customers.
He left the company in March 2009 and joined Autovation Sdn Bhd as Senior Sales and Application Engineer from April 2009 to January 2014. He was mainly responsible for identifying potential markets and industries to market the company’s industrial automation product, supervised project status and progress,proposed suitable solutions, and led a team in carrying out product demonstrations and providing technical support services. He joined our Group as a Technical Sales Manager in August 2014, where he was responsible for business development in the central region. In December 2019, he acquired an equity stake in Sophic MSC and assumed the Director role. He is responsible for the overall business operations and business development of Sophic MSC.
Lai Goey Choo
Head of Product Engineering Services
A Malaysian aged 53, is our Head of Product Engineering Services. She obtained a certificate in Electrical Engineering Technicians (Microprocessors) from City and Guilds of London Institute, UK in 1994 and a Diploma in Business Administration from KDU College, Penang in 1999. She also obtained the Executive Master of Preventive Health from Open University Malaysia in 2017.
She started her career as a Technician with Intel Microelectronics (M) Sdn Bhd in August 1990. She was promoted to Product Development Engineer in August 2000 and Component Design Engineer in August 2006. During her tenure with the company, she was involved in conducting validation and testing on ICs, generating product validation test plans and strategies, and validating and verifying semiconductor devices and components. In May 2014, she joined our Group as the Business Process Outsourcing Manager.
She was mainly responsible for the product engineering service projects of the Group, which included managing customers and implementing strategies to enhance operational efficiency and productivity whilst ensuring the key performance indicators and objectives set out by our customers were met. She was re-designated to Head of Product Engineering Services in March 2022. Currently, she is mainly responsible for the product engineering services including managing contracts and relationships with the customers as well as overseeing the management and training project teams.
Yeap Siew Wen
Head of Finance
A Malaysian aged 31, is our Head of Finance. She graduated from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman with a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) in Accounting in 2015. She is a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants and the ACCA.
She started her career in July 2016 as an Audit Associate with BDO PLT (previously known as BDO Malaysia). She was promoted to Audit Senior Associate in July 2017 and Assistant Manager, Audit in July 2019, before leaving the company in September 2021. She managed and supervised the external audits involving multinational, public and private companies from various industries including technology, healthcare, property development, industrial products and services. She was also involved in the audit and preparation of accountants’ reports for companies seeking listing on Bursa Securities.
She joined our Group as the Accounts and Finance Manager in September 2021 and was redesignated as the Corporate Development and Strategy Manager in October 2022. She was promoted to her current position in June 2023, where she is responsible for overseeing the overall finance and accounting functions and corporate development of the Group.
Elwyn Toh Jiern Wae
Head of Software Innovation
A Malaysian aged 30, is our Head of Software Innovation. He graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Bradford, UK in 2017.
He started his career in January 2017 when he joined our Group as a Junior Programmer, assisting senior programmers in testing and customising software. He was promoted to Software Developer in March 2018, where he was responsible for developing software for our digitalised solutions and automated equipment. In March 2019, he assumed the position of Assistant Manager, where he was responsible for the execution of digitalised solution projects for the Group and led a team in carrying out software development for these projects.
He was promoted to Software Innovation Manager in September 2020 and re-designated as Head of Software Innovation in June 2023. He is responsible for the overall development and customisation of software applications/platforms for use in the automated equipment and digitalised solutions of our Group.
Wong Shin Guey
Head of R&D
A Malaysian aged 43, is our Head of R&D. He graduated from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia with a Bachelor of Engineering (Computer) (Hons) in 2005. He also obtained a Master of Engineering (Electrical - Computer and Microelectronic System) from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 2010.
He started his career in May 2005 as an Electrical Validation Content Engineer with Intel Technology Sdn Bhd and was promoted to Senior Electrical Validation Content Engineer in March 2011. He was in charge of defining software test frameworks for electrical validation and carrying out pre-silicon simulation activities. In September 2014, he resigned from Intel Technology Sdn Bhd and took a short career break.
In April 2015, he joined our Group as an Industrial IoT Architect, where he was responsible for developing software for our digitalised solutions and automated equipment. He was re-designated as Head of R&D in June 2023. He is responsible for spearheading the R&D activities for automated digitalised solutions, software applications and platforms that can enhance our Group’s operational processes.
Corporate Governance
At 3REN Berhad, our corporate governance framework is meticulously crafted to uphold the long-term interests of our stakeholders, reinforce internal controls, enhance managerial responsibility, instill public confidence, and promote conscientious decision-making and accountability. Comprising our Articles, Bylaws, and a comprehensive suite of policies and guidelines outlined in the documents referenced below, our governance practices are subject to regular review by the Board to identify and adopt the most effective strategies for advancing the welfare of our shareholders.