DATUK Tony Fernandes needs no introduction given the way he has revolutionised the entire budget airline industry in Malaysia and the region.
In 2005, Forbes magazine named AirAsia one of Asia's “Best Under A Billion” companies while Fernandes himself has been called South-East Asia's Richard Branson of the well-established Virgin Group Ltd.
Victory was particularly sweet this year when AirAsia managed to obtain the long-awaited landing rights for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore route after a long and uphill battle trying to get the lucrative network.
Fernandes described this as a dream come true for the airline and the country.
AirAsia also hit the headlines this year when it launched AirAsia X, a long-haul budget carrier. Branson is among the company's stakeholders.
This is a far cry from its early days as a struggling airline with two airplanes and more than RM35mil in debts.
The airline has to-date carried more than 33 million passengers over an extended network.
AirAsia's network serves over 75 domestic and international routes covering among others, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Macau, China and the Philippines.
Surely more can be expected of this trend-setter, especially now with its long-haul operations onboard?
Fernandes seems unfazed by the current volatility in oil prices. Just last week, he was quoted as saying that “the best strategy” now was to do nothing. (in view of the volatility)
“The key is to build a model that works whatever the oil price is,” he said.
Datuk Seri Ahmad Zubir Murshid
President and group chief executive
Sime Darby Bhd Late last month saw the completion of the country's most talked-about merger exercise comprising Sime Darby Bhd, Golden Hope Plantations Bhd and Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd.
The merged entity which was initially called Synergy Drive Bhd was later renamed Sime Darby Bhd.
Right smack in the middle of this mega-merged giant corporation is none other than Datuk Seri Ahmad Zubir Murshid, whom all quarters agree has big tasks on hand, now that the year long exercise has been completed.
The new Sime Darby is a conglomerate of multiple businesses such as property and motor but plantations account for about 47% of its total revenue.
Sime Darby begun trading on Bursa Malaysia's main board on Nov 30 and currently has a market capitalisation of close to RM70bil.
Its 543,000 hectares of plantation land makes it the world's largest oil palm grower.
Sime Darby is now also the country's s biggest property developer with a total gross development value of more than RM18bil.
In steering the new group to greater heights, Zubir has been quoted that he will focus on the execution of all its business plans.
For now, the company has set a rather conservative target, saying that it expects to record annual sales and profit growth of at least 10%.
The new Sime Darby does have some fresh plans underway.
To signify its foray into the very high-end residential property market, the company has earmarked 29.14ha of land near Bukit Kiara to be developed into an exclusive high-end premium residential property, dubbed “Hyde Park of Kuala Lumpur”.
Apart from its expansion plans, external factors such as strong crude palm oil prices ranging from RM2,900 to RM3,000 a tonne, are expected to benefit this conglomerate in the longer run.
Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng
Executive chairman
IOI Corp Bhd IOI Corp Bhd beat analysts’ expectations this year in terms of corporate earnings, thanks to higher effective crude palm oil (CPO) selling price.
The group involved mainly in plantation activities benefited tremendously from high CPO price which hit a record of more than RM3,000 per tonne this year, owing to the rising use of CPO as an alternative energy source.
IOI Corp, under the stewardship of Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng appears to be set for greater things, if recent expansion plans are anything to go by.
Malaysia's largest listed oil palm planter has said that it was currently aiming to acquire privately held firms and boost investments in the US and Indonesia as part of its expansion and growth plans.
To this end, IOI Corp made news when it was reported to be considering purchasing a controlling stake in Unico-Desa Plantations Bhd.
Although keen on acquisitions, Lee denied the reports saying that IOI had no interest in buying the stake but that it would consider it if Unico made an official offer to sell its stake.
Meanwhile, IOI Corp remains a favourite among fund managers who like it for its management’s prudent skills, consistent delivery of earnings and liquidity in the trading of its stock.
In the palm oil sector, IOI Corp remains the most profitable company, with one of the highest yields and lowest costs.
It enjoys a CPO yield of 5.7 tonnes per ha per year.
IOI Corp was the only local company who made the Forbes Asia Fabulous 50 list for 2007.
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