Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop is the Deputy Chairman of Khazanah Nasional Berhad, the Government of Malaysia’s strategic investment arm. He is also the Chairman of the newly set-up Khazanah Research Institute, which, inter alia, aims to provide critical and objective policy input for Malaysia’s continued growth and development. He was previously the Minister of Finance from April 2004 to April 2009 and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department responsible for the Economic Planning Unit from May 2009 to May 2013. Tan Sri Nor Mohamed also served as Special Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad from May 2000 to end of 2003. One of Tan Sri Nor’s most significant achievements was assisting the Prime Minister in the implementation of Unorthodox Measures, including selective exchange control measures, to overcome the 1997 / 1998 Asian Financial Crisis. The decisive and bold actions by the Government ensured that Malaysia, not only survived without any assistance from the IMF or World Bank, but also emerged stronger after the crisis.
Tan Sri Nor Mohamed was with the Central Bank of Malaysia from 1968 to 1994 and again from September 1998 to April 2000. Whilst in the Central Bank, he played a key role in the development of Islamic finance in Malaysia, including the Islamic pawn broking system (al-Rahnu). He was also responsible for the setting up of the Securities Commission and Malaysia’s first rating agency (RAM). Tan Sri Nor Mohamed received his Bachelor of Economics (Honours) degree from the University of Malaya in 1972 and M.B.A. from Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium in 1979.
