CYBERJAYA: Industry veteran Ganesh Kumar Bangah has been appointed non-executive chairman of the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).
His appointment comes as Malaysia moves beyond digital adoption towards deeper execution in artificial intelligence (AI), digital investments, SME digitalisation, talent development, GovTech innovation, and the growth of local technology champions.
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said Ganesh’s appointment is expected to further strengthen MDEC’s ability to align government priorities with industry execution, given his decades of experience building technology companies, scaling digital platforms, and working with entrepreneurs, SMEs, and the wider technology ecosystem.
“Ganesh’s appointment reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring that MDEC continues to be guided by strong industry experience and expertise as Malaysia enters our nation’s next phase of digital economy growth,” said Gobind.
“This experience will be valuable as we continue to translate Malaysia’s digital economy priorities into outcomes that support investment, innovation, job creation, and wider participation by businesses and local talent.”
Ganesh, who has been an MDEC board member since February 2025, is also a current board member of Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet). He previously served as National Tech Association of Malaysia (Pikom) chairman and was a board member of the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC).
Ganesh said he was honoured and humbled by the trust placed in him and looked forward to working closely with the Digital Ministry, MDEC’s leadership team, industry partners, and the wider ecosystem to advance Malaysia’s digital economy ambitions.
“Malaysia has the talent, entrepreneurial spirit, and digital foundations to become an even stronger digital economy and AI-driven nation. I look forward to contributing towards MDEC’s mission of building a more inclusive, competitive and innovation-led digital ecosystem for Malaysia,” he said.
“Our next phase of growth must be driven by strong public-private collaboration, greater support for local technology companies, wider GovTech adoption, and a continued focus on enabling Malaysian businesses, especially SMEs, to participate meaningfully in the digital economy.”
MDEC chief executive officer Anuar Fariz Fadzil said Ganesh’s appointment would add significant value to MDEC’s work in ensuring the agency remains relevant, agile, responsive, and closely aligned with the needs of Malaysia’s technology industry.
“As Malaysia’s digital economy continues to evolve, MDEC must continue to listen closely to industry and understand how we can best support its next phase of growth. Ganesh’s vast experience in building technology companies, supporting entrepreneurs and working across the ecosystem will be valuable in helping us strengthen that industry alignment,” said Anuar.
He added that MDEC would remain focused on translating Malaysia’s digital economy priorities into tangible outcomes for industry, SMEs, talent, and local technology companies, while ensuring that growth remains anchored in inclusivity, innovation, and Malaysia’s continued position as a trusted digital hub in the region.
“Ganesh’s passion for local innovation, local companies and ecosystem-building aligns strongly with MDEC’s mission to translate national digital economy priorities into practical outcomes for industry, entrepreneurs, SMEs and the people.”
Pikom described Ganesh as a proven industry leader who understands the needs, challenges, and opportunities of Malaysia’s technology sector.
Its chairman, Alex Liew, said: “As the voice of Malaysia’s technology industry, PIKOM welcomes the appointment of Ganesh as MDEC Chairman. He is one of the industry’s own – a founder, builder and practitioner who understands what technology companies need to grow, compete and scale.”
“Ganesh brings the right mix of expertise, experience, credibility and vision to MDEC. His appointment bodes well for Malaysia as we strengthen industry collaboration, support digital entrepreneurs and build stronger local tech champions,” added Liew.
