Capital A Berhad has appointed Effendy Shahul Hamid as deputy chief executive officer effective April 6, 2026, strengthening and reinforcing the company’s leadership bench as it enters its next phase of growth.
The appointment was announced at a press conference held at The Chow Kit – An Ormond Hotel, Kuala Lumpur on March 30, 2026.
Post the disposal of its aviation businesses to AirAsia X Bhd in January 2026, Capital A is currently shifting its focus to growing and scaling its other five core businesses, namely Asia Digital Engineering (MRO), Teleport (logistics), AirAsia MOVE (mobility and travel platform), AirAsia Next (brand and IP management) and Santan (F&B).
Effendy’s addition to the Capital A fold will see him add depth primarily in the areas of strategic decisioning and ecosystem orchestration, at the same time ensuring strong and sustainable execution in the various Capital A businesses as it pursues a regional growth trajectory.
Capital A chief executive officer Tony Fernandes said Effendy’s experience and leadership style make him a natural fit to drive the next phase of growth.
“Effendy is also a proven operator with a track record that speaks for itself. He understands how ecosystems create value and is able to rally teams around clear goals and deliver real results.
“At this point, we want to go further and faster in all our businesses on the back of digital innovation, and Effendy brings exactly the kind of depth and perspective that we need. I expect him to hit the ground running and add value very quickly,” he said.
Commenting on his appointment, Effendy said, “This is a rare opportunity and one that is too good to pass up. The ability to derive value anchored on superior technology use and ecosystem expansion is what I believe the best companies of the future will need to possess. I was looking for an opportunity and place that believed that same thing, and I’m excited that I found it at Capital A.”
“Aside from that, I am hoping to get back on the learning curve, working closely with the various CEO’s of Capital A Group of Companies and AirAsia X to create and unlock the high potential of their businesses,” he added.
Effendy said he plans to use his previous experience in financial services to define a competitive financial service proposition for the Group, leveraging its ecosystem access and use-cases.
Effendy brings over two decades of regional leadership experience across banking, digital transformation, partnerships and ecosystem building. During his 21 years at CIMB Group, he ran its regional retail franchise, led its digital banking agenda and drove strategic partnerships and investments, including transforming Touch ‘n Go into a leading digital payments platform through its joint venture with Ant Group.
He began his career in corporate development and investment banking, focusing on mergers & acquisitions and business expansion initiatives. On a full scholarship, Effendy graduated in Electronic Engineering from University College London, and later completed executive development programmes at Harvard Business School, INSEAD and Columbia Business School.
