Seri Iskandar: Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) has announced the appointment of Ir Mohamed Firouz Asnan as its inaugural President, with the appointment taking effect immediately.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, this appointment marks a strategic milestone in UTP’s efforts to realign itself as a world-class institution. Mohamed Firouz, who has been with UTP as the Director of Transformation since July of last year, was instrumental in developing a comprehensive program to reposition the university in response to evolving stakeholder expectations.

With over 35 years of experience in the energy sector and a six-year tenure on the UTP Board, Firouz brings a unique combination of strategic management and practical execution to his new role. In his previous position as Senior Vice President of Malaysia Petroleum Management at Petronas, he significantly contributed to revitalizing Malaysia’s upstream sector by collaborating with petroleum arrangement contractors and academia amidst the ongoing Energy Transition.

Moreover, Firouz led the creation of Petronas New Energy Business as Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy, which was part of efforts to future-proof the organization.

Chairman of the UTP Board, Farehana Hanapiah, expressed that Firouz will focus on driving strategies to achieve UTP’s vision, mission, and long-term goals. She noted that UTP has made significant advances in research and gained recognition, and under Firouz’s leadership, the university is expected to realign its research focus to address key global challenges.

Farehana also mentioned that Firouz would deepen collaborations with partner institutions and industry players to transform industries and societies. He will lead initiatives to diversify the university’s funding sources to ensure greater financial sustainability, supporting UTP’s mission.

Additionally, Mohamed Firouz will collaborate with a newly appointed Provost, selected through a comprehensive search process. Until the appointment is finalized, Vice Chancellor Professor Datuk Ir Ts Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Mutalib will serve as the Interim Provost.

Mohamed Firouz is a registered professional engineer and a member of the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia. He holds a Bachelor in Civil Engineering from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette) and an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as a Sloan Fellow. He is also the immediate past president of the MIT Club of Malaysia and has recently been elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia.