Dato Mohammad Medan grew up in a longhouse in the Bario Highlands, Sarawak, East Malaysia, where he lived with his late parents, who were farmers. Life in the village was simple, and from an early age, he learned the value of focus.
After dedicating himself to his studies and graduating in law from the University of Malaya, he embarked on a 40-year career in the oil and gas industry, beginning as a trainee legal officer at Petronas in 1982.
A Key Figure in Petronas’ Global Expansion
In 1990, he was personally selected by the President and CEO of Petronas, Tan Sri Hassan Marican, to join the core team responsible for taking Petronas to the global stage. This experience was pivotal in shaping his professional journey and remains one of the defining moments of his career.
Leading Bintulu Port Holdings Berhad
Today, Dato Mohammad Medan is the Group Chief Executive Officer of Bintulu Port Holdings Berhad (BPHB), a public-listed holding company overseeing three subsidiaries: Bintulu Port Sdn. Bhd., Biport Bulkers Sdn. Bhd., and Samalaju Industrial Port Sdn. Bhd.
Under his leadership, Bintulu Port has become East Malaysia’s largest container port and the third largest port in Malaysia by cargo handling volume. It is Sarawak’s oil and gas hub and Malaysia’s sole LNG export gateway, exporting 24 million tonnes annually. Additionally, Bintulu Port is the main export point for edible oil products, handling 91% of Sarawak’s crude palm oil storage. In 2020, the port expanded its marine services to Brunei.
Transformation into a World-Class Market Leader
When Dato Mohammad Medan assumed the role of Group CEO in 2017, his vision was to transform Bintulu Port into a world-class market leader.
He introduced the ‘True North Journey’ (TN30) strategy, emphasizing competition, excellence, and a shift in organizational mindset. To drive this change, the company established a Strategic Transformation Department focused on cultural and operational transformation. Through physical rebranding and a more forward-thinking approach, Bintulu Port underwent a significant internal and external evolution.
Overcoming Challenges of Change
Transforming an organization of 1,559 employees required significant effort, particularly in shifting long-standing mindsets and behaviors.
He faced resistance from segments of the workforce who were comfortable with the status quo. Leadership in such circumstances required steadfastness, accountability, and a commitment to simplifying processes, governance, and operations.
Beyond internal transformation, working with government agencies and central authorities was another critical challenge. Given the highly regulated nature of Malaysia’s port industry, effective collaboration required tact and creativity to align interests and drive business objectives.
Expanding into International Markets
Having achieved the goal of establishing Bintulu Port as a World-Class LNG Port and a key port in the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area), the next step was expanding its international presence.
In January 2020, Bintulu Port became an international port operator by launching its Marine Service Team in Brunei, initially focusing on pilotage and towage operations. Future plans include expanding service offerings within and beyond the Brunei market.
Pioneering LNG Export in ASEAN
A major milestone was reached in January 2021 when Bintulu Port became the first port in ASEAN to export LNG in ISO tanks at a large scale. This achievement contributed to revenue growth and positioned the port as a leader in green, smart, and sustainable shipping solutions. Efforts are ongoing to establish Bintulu Port as the first LNG ISO tank hub in ASEAN.
Strengthening Container Handling Operations
In December 2021, the Group further expanded its operations by introducing container handling services at Samalaju Industrial Port Sdn. Bhd. This development enhances import and export capabilities for SIPSB investors, further strengthening Bintulu Port’s role as a vital logistics hub.
A Legacy of Leadership and Vision
Charismatic leadership is key to driving success and prosperity for a business as it is about setting the right tone, communication, values, ethos and most importantly, trust. In steering Bintulu Port Holdings Berhad into unchartered waters in international markets, Dato Mohammad Medan was able to build that trust and galvanise his organisation into transforming itself from a 1980s terminal in Sarawak into a green, smart, world class market leader and port operator equipped with forward-looking people and state of the art facilities - Shanggari Balakrishnan, Chief Executive Officer, MORS Group
