TO A NEW BEGINNING

WHAT'S NEXT FOR JALIL RASHEED, WHAT ARE HIS THOUGHTS ON THE PNB CONTROVERSY, AND WHAT HAS HE BEEN UP TO SINCE STEPPING DOWN FROM HIS LAST CEO POST? FLOREY D MIKIL FINDS OUT

- FLOREY D MIKIL

"I'VE ALWAYS LOOKED AT ROLES AS MORE PROJECT-BASED. WHAT'S THE BRIEF, THE TENURE, THE DELIVERABLE EXPECTATION...AND ONCE THAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED, I EITHER STAY ON FOR A DIFFERENT TARGET OR I MOVE ON."

When the name Abdul Jalil Abdul Rasheed or Jalil Rasheed, as he is more widely known - is mentioned, it immediately evokes the image of a well-suited young man with many impressive achievements. From being appointed a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in his late twenties, to being the youngest CEO of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), and being the first non-family CEO of Berjaya Corporation Berhad, it's easy to see that the man possesses strong leadership qualities.

Unfortunately, being at the top of his game conjures up just as many negatives as positives. Jalil admits as much when we meet up with him for his cover shoot. Dressed in a more casual attire instead of the suits he was more often photographed in, he shares a candid conversation with us about how being thrust into the public eye has impacted his life and what's on the cards for him now that he is on hiatus, so to speak. His appointment at PNB would be a pivotal moment in his career. He recalls seeing his face on the front of newspapers following the announcement of his then new role and noticing the public's sudden recognition of him. This leaves a distinct mark in his memory as the way the appointment news broke was not exactly ideal for him.

To understand why this was all foreign and new to him, let us first learn of his formative years and the early days of his career. Born in Raub, Pahang, as the youngest of three children to civil servant parents, Jalil, and his family moved to Hong Kong during his kindergarten days. He was enrolled in an English school during the four years that his parents were stationed there. Upon their return to Malaysia, the family settled down in Petaling Jaya.