Mohd Zahidi Bin Haji Zainuddin

Gen. Dato’ Seri DiRaja Tan Sri (Dr.) Mohd Zahidi bin Hj Zainuddin (R) (Malaysian, aged 71, male), appointed on 4 August 2005, is an Independent Non-Executive Director. He had a distinguished career in the Malaysian Armed Forces for nearly 40 years, before retiring from the Force on 30 April 2005. During the period as a professional military officer, he served 6 years 4 months as the Malaysian Chief of Defence Forces from 1 January 1999 and as the Chief of the Malaysian Army for one year from 1 January 1998. Most notable appointments in the Armed Forces held were Aide de Camp (ADC) to His Majesty Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Azlan Shah, Commander Infantry Brigade, Assistant Chief of Staff Human Resources, Commander of Army Training and Doctrine Command, Deputy Chief of Army and Chief of Army. In international duties, Gen. Dato’ Seri DiRaja Tan Sri (Dr.) Mohd Zahidi (R) served as a Military Observer under the United Nations International Monitoring Group in Iraq after the Iran-Iraq War Ceasefire in 1988/1989.

Gen. Dato’ Seri DiRaja Tan Sri (Dr.) Mohd Zahidi (R) is presently the Chairman of Genting Plantations Berhad and Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera. He is a Director of Bintulu Port Holdings Berhad, Bintang Capital Partners Berhad, Affin Holdings Berhad and Sogo (K.L.) Department Store Sdn Bhd.

Gen. Dato’ Seri DiRaja Tan Sri (Dr.) Mohd Zahidi (R) was made a Member of Dewan Negara Perak by DYMM Paduka Seri Sultan Perak on 25 November 2006 and is a Director/Trustee for the Board of Trustee of Yayasan Sultan Azlan Shah. On 23 April 2013, Gen. Dato’ Seri DiRaja Tan Sri (Dr.) Mohd Zahidi (R) was appointed as Orang Kaya Bendahara Seri Maharaja Perak Darul Ridzuan by DYMM Paduka Seri Sultan Perak and the Dewan Negara Perak Darul Ridzuan. On 19 April 2014, he was bestowed with the Perak’s highest award for commoners, the ‘Darjah Kebesaran Seri Paduka Sultan Azlan Shah Perak Yang Amat Dimulia’ (S.P.S.A) which carries the title “Dato’ Seri DiRaja.”

Gen. Dato’ Seri DiRaja Tan Sri (Dr.) Mohd Zahidi (R) holds a Masters of Science Degree in Defence and Strategic Studies from the Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan and had attended the Senior Executive Programme in Harvard University, United States of America, Command and General Staff College Philippines, Joint Services Staff College Australia and National Defence College Pakistan.

In June 2015, Asia Metropolitan University (AMU) elected Gen. Dato’ Seri DiRaja Tan Sri (Dr.) Mohd Zahidi (R) as the Chancellor of the University. In October 2016, Gen. Dato’ Seri DiRaja Tan Sri (Dr.) Mohd Zahidi (R) was conferred with an honorary doctorate in Management of Defense and Strategic Studies from National Defence University of Malaysia, also known as Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM).