Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Timeline
Generic
Karina Ridzuan

Karina Ridzuan

Director, Group Business Services
Petaling Jaya, Selangor,10

Summary

Collaborative leader with strong negotiation and problem solving skills; dedicated to promoting an engaged and empowered work culture. Over 25 years of experience in various roles, demonstrating depth in functional expertise and breadth in diverse operational areas and strategic transactions

Overview

29
29
years of professional experience
10
10
years of post-secondary education

Work History

Director, Group Business Services

Destination Resorts and Hotels Sdn Bhd
05.2016 - Current
  • Leading an enlarged portfolio for enabling business services for the DRH Group, expanding from the Legal and Secretarial functions to include HR, Industrial Relations. Corporate Communications and from 2023, strategic placemaking events for Desaru Coast
  • Leading cross functional teams to favourably negotiate, deliver and close transactions crucial to the organisation
  • Driving strategic and operational initiatives, significantly though a refinement or rolling out of HR policies and practices to address talent retention and post-pandemic recruitment gaps
  • Optimising team performance and career progression with a transparent, sincere and open leadership and communication approach; recognising and rewarding, mentoring and empowering.

Director, Legal and Secretarial

Destination Resorts and Hotels Sdn Bhd
5 2011 - 04.2016
  • Establishing the DRH Group Legal and Secretarial Department and governance infrastructure.
  • Driving the provision of a full suite of business enabling in-house legal services for the DRH Group within the practice areas of joint ventures and acquisitions, hospitality, construction, conveyancing, corporate governance and compliance, corporate finance, employment, litigation and intellectual property
  • Key achievements include the joint venture arrangement with Iskandar Harta Holdings, the operating agreements with the Merlin Group and the associated debt raising for the first Legoland Hotel in the region; the corporate and asset restructuring of the Teluk Datai Resorts group of companies including the refinancing of its bonds; the RM600m loan obtained from Maybank for the Desaru Coast Development
  • Leading the provision of impactful secretarial services for the DRH Group totaling over 60 companies in the portfolio with over 50 Board/Board Sub-Committee meetings annually

Chief Executive Officer

Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS and Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra
03.2009 - 12.2010
  • Managed a combined annual budget in excess of RM70 million – a successful two performance season within budget (10% under budget), 100% delivery of all activities and an improved cost recovery of 15%
  • Managed 170 staff members (artistic and management), with 10 direct reports of various disciplines – decreased attrition rate within the timeframe, improved operational efficiency and staff retention through the institutionalisation of significant business process improvements, decision-making empowerment and meaningful investment in staff training
  • Developed and drove the organisation’s brand and public perception profile – successful two seasons of dramatically increased publicity (without increase in advertising expenditure) and positive reviews translating into an average concert attendance of 75% (20% increase) with a significant number of full houses
  • Increased positive profile of both the DFP and the MPO from the public accessibility and relevance point of view as a direct result of more contemporary, locally collaborative programming and meaningful community projects
  • Developed and drove an effective business development strategy – successfully increased the sponsorship revenue (50%) with a more diverse mix of sponsors (Celcom Axiata, Mercedes Benz, Toshiba, Tourism Malaysia, ThinkCity Sdn Bhd, Emirates and Qatar Airways) and spearheaded the collaborative ventures from media partners such as Astro, Redberry to related industry players such as KRU Studios (for the first ever film soundtrack recording) to NGOs such as Yayasan Salam, National Stroke Association of Malaysia, Malaysian Association for the Blind
  • Developed and drove key sustainable community projects – increased impact and reach community outreach; moving from predominantly Klang Valley to Bintulu, Johor, Ipoh and Penang
  • As a direct result of business and artistic breakthrough improvements, elected an Executive Council member of the Association of Asia Pacific Performing Arts Centres (a regional 37 member association) alongside CEOs from Sydney Opera House, Adelaide Festival Hall, the Esplanade, Singapore and Chiang Kai Shek Hall, Taiwan.

Senior Legal Counsel, IP & Technology

PETRONAS
11.2005 - 02.2009
  • Technology acquisition of an ROV company in Seattle, USA
  • Multi-billion Euro acquisition of FL Selenia, Italy, one of world’s largest independent lubricant companies
  • Multiple alliances and collaborations with strategic technology partners - Schlumberger, Batelle Laboratories, USA, Commonwealth Strategic Institute of Research Organisation, Australia, Mitsui, the Lion Group, Japan
  • Various collaborations with leading learning institutions – the Imperial College, London, Queen’s University, Belfast, University of Ohio
  • Technology joint-venture between PETRONAS, MISC, Mustang, USA and BWO, Norway for pioneer floating LNG technology
  • BMW sponsorship arrangement between PETRONAS and BMW Motorsports
  • Roles for each involved a hands-on development of structure, due diligence and analysis, drafting and/or review of the relevant documentation, application of permits and approvals (governmental authorities and board), negotiation and deal execution and subsequent advice and legal oversight on implementation issues
  • Managed a portfolio of approximately 7000 trademarks and 100 patents for the Group
  • Developed and drove a Group-wide sustained IP training programme to elevate IP awareness and promote innovation
  • Developed and drove the setting-up and first year operations of the Merdeka Award – Malaysia’s biggest annual prize for 5 worthy individuals
  • Responsibilities include the structuring of the Trust, By-laws, selection process, applications to the Ministry of Finance, legal and secretarial services to the RM50 million trust fund
  • Developed and drove the Legal Transformation project – strategic division-wide programme of initiatives aimed at improving skills, bettering work processes and inculcating a positive mindset change
  • Director on the Board of Directors of PERONAS Marketing Sudan Limited, a downstream retail company with a network of approximately 600 stations in Sudan and approximately 11% retail market share
  • Other board memberships are Nada Company Ltd (a property owning company in Sudan), PC Nile Ltd (an upstream asset holding company) and Styrene Monomer Sdn Bhd (a property holding company).

Legal Officer (1995 - 1999), Senior Legal Officer (1999 - 2003), Legal Counsel (2003 – 2005)

PETRONAS
08.1995 - 11.2005
  • Capital market fund raising for the Group – domestic and international; conventional and Islamic totaling in excess of US$25 billion
  • Fund raising (conventional bank loans, buyer and seller credits, government agency loans) for various key assets in the Group in particular the integrated petrochemical complexes in Kertih and Gebeng, the MLNG 3 plant and international assets in India, Vietnam, China, Iran and the United Kingdom
  • Large, complex project financing with a consortium of lenders (including the IFC) for in the Phillipines, Argentina and the Chad and Cameroon
  • Debt restructuring for property owning companies within the Group using a variety of funding structures, notably securitization and sale and leaseback
  • Debt raising for the PETRONAS Twin Towers project
  • Secretarial function and legal oversight for PETRONAS International Corporation Limited, a Labuan investment holding company with 35 companies.

Education

Bachelor of Arts in English and Law -

University of Keele
01.1992 - 04.1995

A-Levels - undefined

Maktab Sain Mara
01.1990 - 04.1992

Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia - undefined

SM Assunta
01.1986 - 04.1990

Timeline

Director, Group Business Services

Destination Resorts and Hotels Sdn Bhd
05.2016 - Current

Chief Executive Officer

Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS and Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra
03.2009 - 12.2010

Senior Legal Counsel, IP & Technology

PETRONAS
11.2005 - 02.2009

Legal Officer (1995 - 1999), Senior Legal Officer (1999 - 2003), Legal Counsel (2003 – 2005)

PETRONAS
08.1995 - 11.2005

Bachelor of Arts in English and Law -

University of Keele
01.1992 - 04.1995

A-Levels - undefined

Maktab Sain Mara
01.1990 - 04.1992

Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia - undefined

SM Assunta
01.1986 - 04.1990

Director, Legal and Secretarial

Destination Resorts and Hotels Sdn Bhd
5 2011 - 04.2016

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Karina RidzuanDirector, Group Business Services