Held at Le Méridien Petaling Jaya, the annual conference set the tone for early-year policy and industry engagement, as leaders examined economic direction, policy clarity and competitiveness amid global uncertainty, shifting capital flows and heightened competition for foreign direct investment.
Reflecting its relevance to national economic and development priorities, CEO Series 2026 featured ministerial participation from YB Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, Minister of Finance II; YB Tuan Anthony Loke Siew Fook, Minister of Transport; and YB Tuan Chiew Choon Man, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
Organised as part of a joint secretariat involving multiple supporting industry bodies and associations, discussions focused on Malaysia’s economic trajectory within ASEAN, with attention given to innovation-led growth, investment readiness, recurring-income assets and cross-border integration.
Dato’ Jeffrey Ng Tiong Lip, Chairman of REHDA Institute, said, “The CEO Series was designed to facilitate substantive dialogue and provides a neutral platform where policymakers and senior leaders from a diverse range of industries can engage constructively on economic realities and long-term priorities. This engagement helps align policy direction, gather market insights from the various industries and investment decisions”
Transport as an Enabler of Economic Development
During the conference, YB Tuan Anthony Loke Siew Fook outlined the government’s approach as Malaysia entered 2026, which he said had been marked as a year of execution. “2026 has been year marked by the government as a year of execution year of faster execution.”
He said the government had taken conflicting feedback on reforms seriously, noting that concerns had emerged from different segments of society. “We know that there are complaints outside that the pace of reform is not fast enough. But on the other hand there are people who also complain we are too fast of executing too many things at the same time.”
The minister stressed that transport underpinned trade, tourism, property value and industrial activity.
“Without transport nothing can move. The Ministry of Transport is not just a transport service provider. We are an enabler of economic development.”
Infrastructure, Real Estate and Regional Integration
Discussions at CEO Series 2026 examined real estate and infrastructure development, with particular focus on the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone, described as a dynamic economic corridor demonstrating significant investor confidence.
“When it comes to real estate in Malaysia today, we cannot avoid mentioning the Johor Singapore Special Economic Zone, a dynamic economic corridor demonstrating significant investor confidence evidenced by an estimated 29.5 billion ringgit potential investment between January and September 2025,” he said.
Fook highlighted that real estate development could not be separated from transport connectivity. The conference addressed regional integration, including Johor–Singapore collaboration, and examined cross-border synergies in manufacturing, logistics, infrastructure and urban development.
International Perspectives and Regional Benchmarking
The conference featured international economists, researchers and industry leaders from ASEAN, Australia and Europe, including speakers from the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) and Moody’s Analytics.
Participants travelled from Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia and Singapore, contributing comparative perspectives on investment flows, capital markets and regional development trends.
Dato’ Jeffrey Ng said continued participation by international experts and investors signalled confidence in Malaysia’s fundamentals and allowed Malaysia to benchmark itself realistically against regional peers.
Launch of REHDA Institute Youth Initiative
A key outcome of CEO Series 2026 was the launch of the REHDA Institute Youth Initiative (RIYI), a national human capital development programme aimed at bridging academia and industry and strengthening Malaysia’s future talent pipeline.
RIYI was launched during the conference by YB Tuan Anthony Loke Siew Fook and brought together more than 13 universities nationwide alongside corporate leaders and industry practitioners, with a focus on structured mentorship, early industry exposure and career guidance.
Ng said, “Economic resilience depends not only on investment and policy, but also on talent. RIYI reflects REHDA Institute’s belief that industry stakeholders must play a more active role in preparing young Malaysians to enter the workforce with practical skills and realistic expectations.”
He added, “As an independent think tank, we look beyond immediate sectoral needs. Investing in youth and human capital is a long-term national responsibility.”
As Malaysia entered 2026 amid global uncertainty and regional transition, CEO Series 2026 provided a platform for alignment, reflection and forward planning across government, industry and the international business community.
