Najib to meet high-level decision makers from foreign companies

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will kick off his first day at the 45th World Economic Forum with a message to investors that Malaysia is ready for business.

In his second appearance at one of the world’s important gatherings of great minds, with this year’s theme “The New Global Context”, he will send a message that Malaysia is at the heart of the world’s potential growth area, which is Asean.

As Asean chairman, Najib is expected to deliver a strong message as well as lay the right foundation towards the realisation of the Asean Economic Community in line with Malaysia’s chairmanship of the regional grouping this year.

He will meet 55 high-level decision-making officials from foreign companies, and 39 Malaysian corporate leaders during a closed-door business luncheon jointly organised by Khazanah Nasional Bhd, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) and Invest KL.

Among top local corporate ­bosses who will attend are Khazanah Nasional group managing director Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar, Axiata president and Group CEO Datuk Seri Jamaludin Ibrahim, CIMB Group Holdings Bhd chairman Datuk Seri Nazir Razak, AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and UEM Group chairman Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Tajuddin Ali.

Global companies that are attending include General Electric, Barclays, Bata, Huawei, Lippo Group, Hyatt Hotel and Ernst and Young.

Najib, who is also Finance Minister, is expected to explain the current economic situa­tion and pre-emptive measures announced on Tuesday to sustain Malaysia’s economic stabi­lity and retain the flow of foreign investments into the country.

Later in the afternoon, Najib will hold a 20-minute bilateral talk with Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte at Panorama Hotel, the venue for the WEF, and meet Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu.

Najib will meet heads of five ­foreign companies, possibly for talks on new investment ventures as well as to expand existing investments in Malaysia.

The first day will end with bilateral talks with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

Najib is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with his Kazakhstan counterpart Karim Massimov and US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Najib arrived here on Wednesday night and was received by Malaysian Ambassador to Switzerland Datuk Mohd Zulkephli Mohd Noor.

Besides Najib, other heads of states or govern­ment that have confirmed their participation include King Abdullah II of Jordan and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

The WEF will see the congregation of more than 40 world leaders, as well as 2,500 participants from 140 countries.