THE former head of the Economic Planning Unit, Sulaiman Mahbob, is slated to take over from Isa Samad as Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd chairman, the New Straits Times reports today, quoting sources.

The appointment of Sulaiman, who was head of the country’s top economic decision-making body from 2006 to 2009, will be announced later today, the paper reports.

He will take the reins of the world’s third-largest oil palm plantation owner, which is currently embroiled in a bitter boardroom tussle between Isa and suspended CEO Zakaria Arshad.

Sulaiman, 68, is no stranger to FGV, as he has been an independent and non-executive director since 2014, and a member of its board governance and risk management committee.

He had a 38-year career in the civil service since 1971, and was part of the National Economic Action Council that was formed to guide Malaysia through the 1997/98 Asian Financial Crisis.

According to the FGV website, Sulaiman graduated from Universiti Malaya with a degree in economics in 1971, obtained a masters from the University of London in 1977, and did a Ph.D at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, New York in 1986.

Apart from his post on FGV’s board, Sulaiman is also with the upper managements of Telekom Malaysia,  Bank Negara Malaysia, the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research, Institute of Strategic and International Studies and Jambatan Kedua Sdn Bhd.

It was reported earlier today that a meeting was expected to be held in Putrajaya to discuss the fate of Isa and Zakaria.

The meeting is expected to include Prime Minister Najib Razak, and will review the independent report prepared by government-appointed mediator Idris Jala.

The saga in FGV began early this month, when Zakaria and FGV chief financial officer Ahmad Tifli Mohd Talha were forced to go on leave over alleged lapses in corporate governance.

At the centre of the allegation was a delayed payment by Afghan company Safitex to FGV subsidiary Delima Oil Products Sdn Bhd (DOP) for shipment of palm oil in September last year. – June 19, 2017.