Press Releases 2017
New CEO Helms MATRADE
TUESDAY, 31 JANUARY 2017, KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) announced the appointment of Ir Dr Mohd Shahreen Zainooreen B. Madros as MATRADE's new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) following the retirement of his predecessor Dato' Dzulkifli Mahmud on 31 January 2017. Dr Mohd Shahreen will assume the new responsibility starting from 2 February 2017.
Dr Mohd Shahreen who was an Executive Director at Malaysia Petroleum Resources Corporation (MPRC) prior to his position at MATRADE, is upbeat on the appointment and aspires to continue strengthening MATRADE's solid foundation as Malaysia's export promotion agency.
"Moving forward, it is imperative for MATRADE to continue forging strategic partnerships with all relevant stakeholders in both private and public sector such as various Ministries, Agencies, Trade Associations, Chambers of Commerce and Business Councils. This is to ensure Malaysia will remain competitive at the global front," said Dr Shahreen.
He added that such partnerships will have a direct influence to the local business community and with all stakeholders moving together to achieve the same goal – to contribute to the wellbeing of the economy – Malaysia will remain as one of the top trading nations in the world.
Dr Shahreen who is the seventh CEO of MATRADE holds a First Class Honors degree from University of London in 1986 and a Doctorate from University of Cambridge in 1989. Prior to MATRADE and MPRC, he was with Esso Production Malaysia Inc (EPMI) and was assigned to Exxon Production Research Company in Houston, Texas for two years. After EPMI, Dr Shahreen joined INTEC Engineering and was involved in offshore design consultancy works for local and international clients.
MATRADE as the national export promotion agency is a body under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). Its main role is to drive the exports of Malaysian products and services to the world. For the past 23 years since its establishment, MATRADE plays a key role in sustaining Malaysia's trade surplus, which Malaysia has enjoyed for 19th consecutive years.
Among its services include providing trade advisory and market intelligence; organising Exporters Development Programme, International Sourcing Programme and Export Acceleration Mission. To date, MATRADE has 46 trade offices around the world that function to identify new export opportunities and to connect Malaysian companies with foreign buyers. For more details on MATRADE, visit www.matrade.gov.my.
Boosting The Exports of Malaysia's Creative Content Through Partnership
MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2017, KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and China Intercontinental Communication Co.,Ltd (CICC) marked a momentous occasion today by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote trade of creative contents between Malaysia and China. The MoU signing was witnessed by Minister II of International Trade and Industry (MITI) YB Dato' Seri Ong Ka Chuan.
MATRADE was represented by its Chief Executive Officer Dato' Dzulkifli Mahmud and CICC by its Vice President Mr. Jing Shuiqing.
The MoU aims to strengthen communication and cooperation between media organisations in China and Malaysia by leveraging on China's One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative. The MoU will see MATRADE and CICC working together to link industry players from both countries to embark on exchange of creative content (such as films, documentaries and television shows, among others) and business matching (through MATRADE's International Sourcing Programme) for the purpose of driving trade of creative contents for both nations. The collaboration will strengthen the existing professional ties between both countries and could also initiate the sharing of experience, knowledge and best practices with China.
According to Dato' Dzulkifli, the MoU is an important step forward for both parties to promote cultural exchange through each other's media channels. "This partnership will facilitate and coordinate the communications between media players of both countries. With this partnership, Malaysian media can rest assured that they have a partner in China to assist them in areas such as co-productions," he said.
The Malaysian government has identified creative content as one of the Entry Point Projects (EPP) under the Economic Transformation Programme to enhance capacity, capability and competency of the industry in producing world-class content and additionally making Malaysia a regional hub for digital content.
In the EPP, the creative content industry is expected to contribute RM3.04 billion to Gross National Income (GNI) and produce more than 10,000 jobs by year 2020. The industry is also targeted to have an annual growth rate of 20 percent.
In the latest figures recorded in 2015, creative content contributed RM9.55 billion and represents 6.4 percent of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP). To date, Malaysia has exported RM6.8 billion worth of creative contents.
With China as one of Malaysia's biggest trading partners, the MoU sets to further strengthen China's and Malaysia's relationship by leveraging on the OBOR Initiative, which is a development strategy and framework of China's government to boost connectivity and cooperation between China and the rest of the world.
MATRADE as Malaysia's export promotion agency provides various export facilitation such as market intelligence, trade advisory, export promotion and capacity building programme for Malaysian companies. The agency, under MITI, has trade offices in Beijing (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), Shanghai (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), Guangzhou (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and Chengdu (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) that functioned to help Malaysian companies penetrate into the China market.
Tapping on The Business Potential of Bosnia and Herzegovina
THURSDAY, 12 JANUARY, 2017 KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia External Trade Corporation (MATRADE) organised a TradeTalk@MATRADE titled Exploring Business Opportunities in Bosnia and Herzegovina today, to create a better awareness on export opportunities for Malaysian companies to the country on the Balkan Peninsula. The event was organised with the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The highlight of the session was a presentation by His Excellency Emir Hadzikadunic, the Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Malaysia and as well as a knowledge sharing session by Selia Group.
According to Dato' Dzulkifli Mahmud, Chief Executive Officer of MATRADE, the talk provides avenue for Malaysian companies particularly Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to keep abreast with the latest updates on the Bosnian market. "Apart from increasing the awareness on export opportunities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the session also helped the participants to understand the challenges to export to Bosnia and could better prepare themselves in penetrating the market," he said. Additionally, the talk also emphasised the strategies for Malaysian companies to penetrate the Bosnian market.
With a population of 3.8 million people, Bosnia and Herzegovina has a strategic geographical location in the Balkan region and can be considered a gateway into the other Balkan countries and Europe too. Bosnia has recovered significantly since the war in the early 1990s and its government has implemented various initiatives to rebuild the nation. The country is planning to submit its EU membership application this year to further integrate itself in the global business.
"Malaysian companies are encouraged to leverage on the strong relationship Malaysia has fostered with Bosnia and use the country as a gateway to other markets such as Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Hungary," Dato' Dzulkifli mentioned. He added, "There are various areas of collaboration for Malaysian and Bosnian companies to venture into namely in food products (especially halal food), rubber products, electrical and electronic products, hospitality as well as tourism".
In 2015, Malaysia's total trade with Bosnia and Herzegovina amounted to RM14.9 million. Malaysia's exports to Bosnia and Herzegovina were valued at RM2.1 million in the same year while imports totalled at RM12.8 million. For the period of January to November 2016, trade with Bosnia and Herzegovina was valued at RM2.4 million and exports were valued at RM1.5 million and imports at RM1 million.
Among the main exports to Bosnia and Herzegovina are electrical and electronic products, processed food, rubber products and optical & scientific equipment. Major imports from Bosnia and Herzegovina include chemicals & chemical products, wood products, textiles, apparels & footwear, and electrical & electronic products.
Malaysian companies that are keen to explore the Bosnia and Herzegovina market can contact MATRADE's Warsaw office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Enquiries on MATRADE's future training and other capacity programmes can be directed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
