Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Haji Syed Zainal Abidin

He began his career in the engineering and energy sector with PETRONAS, rising through senior leadership roles including Vice President of Downstream Marketing and later Managing Director of Petronas Dagangan Berhad, where he drove retail and commercial growth. Prior to Proton, he also held key leadership positions in the automotive industry, notably as Executive Director at Perodua Auto Corporation Sdn Bhd.

Beyond his executive roles, Tan Sri Syed Zainal has held influential positions in Malaysia's corporate and technology ecosystem, including Chairman of Dagang NeXchange Berhad (DNeX) and SilTerra Malaysia Sdn Bhd, and Chairman of Perbadanan Wakaf Selangor.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Maryland, USA.