KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Mohamad Helmy Othman Basha, Group Managing Director of SD Guthrie Berhad, will step down from his role effective December 31, 2025. He is set to serve as an Advisor to the Board of Directors until his planned retirement on June 30, 2026.
In a press relese, the company said Mohd Haris Mohd Arshad, the current Deputy Group Managing Director, will succeed him as Group Managing Director on January 1, 2026.
“We extend our deepest thanks to Datuk Mohamad Helmy for his exceptional leadership over the past six-and-a-half years. He steered the Group through some difficult periods and leaves on a high, with both operational and financial performance on a positive trajectory,” said Guthrie Chairman Tan Sri Dr Nik Norzrul Thani Nik Hassan Thani. “Our robust succession planning ensures a smooth transition between leaders, reflecting Guthrie’s commitment to strong management continuity.”
Appointed Group Managing Director on July 1, 2019, Mohamad Helmy took over from Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh.
His tenure saw the company navigate significant challenges, including the drop in CPO prices in 2019, the pandemic, the US product ban, and a severe worker shortage due to border closures.
In response to the volatile market, he, along with Mohd Haris, crafted a strategy to diversify Guthrie’s revenue streams by bolstering the Downstream segment, reducing dependency on commodity prices.
In 2024, Mohamad Helmy oversaw the rebranding of the Group, alongside the establishment of two new business verticals: Renewable Energy and Industrial Development. His leadership was pivotal in transforming Guthrie into a more diversified and resilient entity.
“Never waste a good crisis,” Mohamad Helmy said in 2020, launching the “Infinity Taskforce” to modernise and automate plantation operations. This initiative resulted in a significant increase in operational efficiency, with Guthrie’s land-to-man ratio improving to 13.5 hectares per worker from 10.5 hectares per worker pre-COVID, reducing the workforce by 6,000.
In addition to his leadership at Guthrie, Mohamad Helmy has been outspoken on global palm oil issues. Speaking at the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) 2025 conference recently, he criticised the world’s major economies for their “colonial thinking” and double standards towards palm oil, while fossil fuel use is excused under the banner of “energy security.”
He warned that persistent hostility toward palm oil is reshaping global supply, as major producers like Indonesia and Malaysia increasingly prioritise domestic energy needs over exports. “Each increase in blending means more palm oil is used domestically for energy — and less is available for export,” he noted.
Helmy also highlighted the progress both Malaysia and Indonesia have made in curbing deforestation, with Malaysia’s deforestation rate falling by over 60% since its peak, and Indonesia also achieving record lows. Despite this, he criticised the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which classifies Malaysia under a “standard risk” category.
“Imposing stricter environmental standards on developing countries while ignoring historical emissions from industrialised nations is not environmentalism — it’s economic apartheid,” he said, urging for a more balanced global approach to resource use.
Mohd Haris, who joined Sime Darby Berhad in 2014, has held various senior roles within the company, including Chief Operating Officer of the Downstream division and Managing Director of Sime Darby Oils (SDO).
Under his leadership, SDO’s profits grew substantially. In 2024, he was promoted to Group Chief Operating Officer (GCOO), overseeing the Group’s Upstream operations, and was appointed Deputy Group Managing Director in September 2025.
Mohd Haris has played a crucial role in the Group’s operational excellence, governance, and talent development initiatives. He is also an active leader in the palm oil industry, serving as Chairman of the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) board and a trustee of the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC).
“We are confident that Mohd Haris will continue to drive the Group’s success as he leads the team in executing our long-term strategy. We also appreciate Mohamad Helmy’s ongoing contribution as Advisor during the first half of 2026, ensuring a seamless transition,” Nik Norzrul concluded, wishing Mohamad Helmy all the best for his future endeavours. – November 5, 2025