AS global landscapes shift, research remains a cornerstone of progress.
Recognising this, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) is strengthening its research focus with the recent appointment of Mohamed Firouz Asnan (pic) as its inaugural president.
UTP board chairman Farehana Hanapiah said while the varsity has made significant strides in research and gained recognition, Mohamed Firouz is expected to realign its research direction to address key global challenges and help create a better future.
“This includes deepening collaborations with partner institutions and industry players to transform industries and societies. He will also lead initiatives to diversify the university’s funding sources, ensuring greater financial sustainability to support our mission,” she said in a press release.
She added that Mohamed Firouz will work with a newly appointed provost, to be selected through a comprehensive search, to enhance teaching and learning.
“Until the appointment is finalised, vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Mutalib will serve as interim provost,” she said, adding that Mohamed Firouz will also drive strategies to achieve UTP’s vision, mission and long-term goals.
Prior to this appointment, which took effect on May 1, Mohamed Firouz served as the varsity’s director of transformation, where he led the development of a comprehensive programme to reposition UTP in line with evolving stakeholder expectations.
With over 35 years of experience in the energy sector and six years on the UTP board, he brings a critical combination of strategic management and hands-on execution, according to the press release.
Earlier, as Malaysia Petroleum Management senior vice president at PETRONAS, Mohamed Firouz played a key role in revitalising Malaysia’s upstream sector, collaborating not only with petroleum arrangement contractors but also with academia to unlock the industry’s full potential amid the energy transition.
Before this role, he led the creation of PETRONAS’ New Energy Business (now known as Gentari) as senior vice president of Corporate Strategy, as part of efforts to future-proof the organisation.
A registered professional engineer, Mohamed Firouz is a member of the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia, and was recently elected as a fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia.
He holds a BSc in Civil Engineering from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette), and an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as a Sloan fellow. He is also the immediate past president of the MIT Club of Malaysia.
