Gajani Nayagi Seeveneserajah, 46, a Malaysian, was appointed as Chief Risk Officer of Sime Darby Plantation Berhad (SDP) on 1 June 2018. In this role, she is responsible for assisting the Risk Management Committee in ensuring effective implementation of the Board approved Risk Management Framework. This includes integrating risk considerations into key strategic and business processes to facilitate effective decision making.
Prior to her appointment as Chief Risk Officer, she was appointed SDP’s Head of Portfolio Management in October 2017 and was part of the team responsible for the establishment of the Transformation Office. This included the development of the infrastructure, processes and resources to facilitate the execution of value creation projects.
Since 1 March 2022, Gajani has also assumed a role in the Office of Chief Operations Officer (COO), Upstream, to oversee the implementation of human rights policies and processes across SDP operations.
Effective 1 April 2023 and with a new designation as Chief Risk Officer & Special Projects, she was appointed to lead the Project Management Offices (PMO) for Mission 1. Additionally, the Social Welfare & Services (SWS) Unit under Upstream Malaysia and Grievance Channels under Group Sustainability, are also placed under her direct supervision. SWS and the Grievance Channels are essential safeguards to ensure the Company’s compliance with the 11 International Labour Organization (ILO) indicators of forced labours.
Gajani began her career in 1999 at Ernst & Young where she ascended to the level of Director in the Advisory practice prior to joining Sime Darby Group in 2012 as the Head of Risk Management for the head office functions of Sime Darby Berhad and Head of Risk Management for the Plantation Division. In 2016 she was appointed Head of Performance & Innovation Management of Sime Darby Berhad before joining SDP two years later.
She is a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA) and Business and Finance Professional (BFP) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales and a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in Accounting and Financial Management from the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom.