Program Director, AgroVest

Agrobank; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial institution is seeking an experienced professional to lead the establishment and operationalization of its investment subsidiary. This role involves securing necessary regulatory approvals, managing financial sustainability, and ensuring adherence to Shariah principles. The ideal candidate has over 15 years of experience in investment management, preferably in private equity or venture capital, and possesses strong strategic and financial management skills. Competitive compensation and a dynamic work environment are offered.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 15 years of experience in private equity or venture capital.
• Experience in setting up corporate entities for alternative investments preferred.
• Deep understanding of Shariah-compliant investment structures.

Responsibilities

• Lead the establishment of AgroVest as a specialized investment subsidiary.
• Manage relationships with regulators to secure operating approvals.
• Oversee the financial performance and ensure adherence to Shariah principles.

Skills

Strategic planning

Financial management

Negotiation skills

Fundraising

Risk management

Relationship management

Education

Bachelor's degree in business, finance, accounting, or related discipline

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

To lead the end-to-end establishment and operationalization of AgroVest as a specialized investment subsidiary of Agrobank. This role acts as the primary strategist and liaison with regulators (BNM, SC, MOF) to secure necessary operating approvals, while simultaneously managing capital injection to ensure financial sustainability. The incumbent is responsible for building the organizational infrastructure, governance frameworks, and strategic partnerships required to launch the program with full P&L accountability.

Principal Accountabilities

• Hold ultimate accountability for the Group’s Profit & Loss (P&L), steering the company towards financial self-sufficiency and profitability through the rigorous deployment of the seed capital.
• Manage the Group’s capital structure and cash flow, ensuring sufficient liquidity is available for operational expenses and timely investment capital calls while achieving the targeted financial performance.
• Monitor financial performance against projected budgets, implementing corrective measures to address variances in revenue or operating costs.
• Cultivate high-level strategic partnerships with industry players, government agencies (MIDA, NCIA), and institutional investors to co-invest in strategic deal flow and support AgroVest’s four key business pillars.
• Secure necessary approvals from Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), acting as the primary liaison for all regulatory engagements.
• Manage long term relationship and creation of value with potential and existing investors, business partners, regulators and other major stakeholders.
• Manage the Shared Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with Agrobank to ensure efficient delivery of support functions like HR, IT, and Legal.
• Formulate the long‑term Strategic Business Plan to align directly with Agrobank’s mandate, focusing on modernizing the agriculture sector and reducing the national food import bill to ensure food security.
• Ensure all business activities, investment structures, and operations strictly adhere to Shariah principles as endorsed by the Shariah Committee, maintaining the integrity of the Islamic financial ecosystem.
• Lead the end-to-end incorporation and operationalization of AgroVest including and not limited to acquiring shariah compliance from the Shariah Committee for the startup ecosystem, asset management and fund management, while ensuring all legal and regulatory milestones are met.
• Provide strategic oversight for the end-to-end incorporation and operationalization of AgroCrowdfund – including RMO licensing, platform development, issuer growth targets, etc.
• Drive the investment strategy across the four key business pillars: Strategic Asset Management, P2P Financing, Fund Management, and Startup Ecosystem.
• Establish a robust governance framework, including the formation of independent Board Committees (Audit, Risk, Nomination) and the embedding of a strong risk‑management culture to mitigate credit and market risks.
• Provide strategic advisory to Agrobank Group on all strategic, business, operational and technical matters related to alternative investments.
• Embed a strong risk‑management culture, overseeing the implementation of frameworks to mitigate credit, market and operational risks.
• Lead the recruitment and development of the core management team and provide strategic oversight to the AgroCrowdfund Principal Officer, while managing Shared Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with Agrobank for efficient support function delivery.
• Chair the Technical Committee and participate in the Investment Committee to evaluate and approve high‑impact proposals, driving strategy across the four LOBs (Asset Management, P2P, Fund Management and Startup Ecosystem).
• Development of human capital resources to meet long‑term requirements with relevant performance measurement systems.
• In place with the appropriate strategic reward and benefit mechanism in line with the normal standard market practice.
• Re‑evaluating strategies and analyzing the competitive environment and landscape and the internal organization and conduct the necessary realignment on a timely basis.
• Support the planning for the process and tools and allocation of resources required to ensure smooth operation of the organization.
• Lead the strategic development and execution of the company's governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) framework. Responsibilities include creating and enforcing policies that uphold Syariah principles and regulatory standards, while embedding a proactive risk‑management culture.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, accounting, investments or related discipline.
• Experience: Minimum of 15 years of work experience within private equity, venture capital, asset management, development financial institution (DFI), crowdfunding, due diligence, business advisory, consultancy or investment promotional agencies (IPAs). Experience in setting up new corporate entities or managing subsidiaries related to alternative investments is preferred.

Knowledge and Skills

• Ability to translate high‑level national mandates (National Agrofood Policy) into commercially viable, executable business strategies.
• Deep understanding of debt, equity, and hybrid fundraising, including treasury management for idle capital.
• Advanced negotiation skills for engaging with high‑level government officials (MOF Inc) and GLC Board members.
• Ability to critique complex financial models and stress‑test assumptions before presentation to the Board.
• Proven skills in driving cultural transformation, specifically moving teams from a bureaucratic mindset to an agile/performance mindset.
• Ability to make decisive calls under pressure, particularly regarding reputational risk or regulatory breaches.
• Working knowledge of Shariah‑compliant investment structures (Mudharabah, Wakalah) to ensure product integrity.
• Capability to act as the "Face of the Firm" for media engagements and industry conferences.
• Experienced with deal sourcing, deal structuring, investment analysis, due diligence, investment monitoring, fund management and/or investment exit.
• Deep understanding with current alternative investments landscape, ecosystem and industry direction.
• Prior exposure in investment activities including non‑alternative investments i.e. equities, fixed income, real estate would be advantageous.
• Prior exposure to risk modelling and retail credit risk would be advantageous.
• Business and commercial acumen, P&L management experience, negotiation and deal making.
• Competent with MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and collaboration & communication tools.