Rizal bin Dato’ Nainy recognised for visionary leadership and commitment to strengthening Malaysia’s SME sector
Rizal bin Dato’ Nainy, Chief Executive Officer of SME Corp. Malaysia, has been awarded the Service Leadership Award at the prestigious Malaysia Industry Awards (MINDA) 2025, held on 7 August at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
The award, presented under the Industry Outstanding Award category, was conferred by Tun Seri Setia Dr. Haji Mohd Ali bin Mohd Rustam, Yang di-Pertua Negeri Melaka. The ceremony was also attended by Dato’ Sri Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, alongside other distinguished industry leaders.
Organised by the Federation of Malaysian Business Associations (FMBA), MINDA 2025 celebrates entrepreneurs, business communities, individuals, and organisations for their excellence and significant contributions to Malaysia’s economic growth. The Service Leadership Award recognises leaders who demonstrate vision, integrity, and transformative impact on the national economy.
A Shared Achievement for SME Corp. Malaysia
Expressing his gratitude, Rizal dedicated the accolade to his entire team at SME Corp. Malaysia.
“We live by the principle T.E.A.M. – Together Everyone Achieves More in everything we do. While I am truly honoured to receive this recognition, it is also a tribute to our management and staff for their teamwork, dedication, and commitment in fulfilling our mandate,” he said.
Looking ahead, Rizal reaffirmed SME Corp. Malaysia’s commitment to driving SME growth, particularly in the lead-up to the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13). Among the agency’s strategic priorities is scaling up Malaysia’s SME landscape by increasing the share of medium-sized enterprises from the current 1.6% to 5% by 2030, with the ultimate goal of raising SMEs’ contribution to 50% of the country’s GDP.
