PUNB CEO Izwan Zainuddin said the company is confident Rastam’s extensive experience in leadership will add significant value to PUNB, particularly as it marks its 35th anniversary this year and embarks on its five-year strategic roadmap for 2026-2030, Bernama reported.

Formerly the foreign ministry’s secretary-general before retiring on Sept 2, 2010, after more than 36 years as a diplomat, Rastam most recently served as non-independent non-executive chairman of FGV Holdings Bhd from September 2023 to September 2025.

He began his career in the administrative and diplomatic service on April 17, 1974.

Throughout his diplomatic career, Rastam held several key positions abroad, including high commissioner to Pakistan (1994-1996), ambassador to Bosnia Herzegovina (1996-1998), ambassador to Indonesia (1999-2003) and permanent representative of Malaysia to the United Nations in New York (2003-2005).

In the corporate sector, he has served on the boards of private and publicly listed companies in Malaysia, including Eversendai Corporation Bhd, Sime Darby Energy Sendirian Bhd, and ING Public Takaful Ehsan Bhd.

Rastam was the chairman of Tropicana Corporation Bhd (2014-2017) before his appointment to FGV Holdings Bhd.