• Independent Non-Executive Director
• Member of Investment Committee
• Member of Audit and Risk Committee
Irene Cheng May May (“Irene”) was appointed to the Board of Directors (“Board”) of Kenanga Investors Berhad (“KIB”) as an Independent Non-Executive Director (“INED”) on 17 November 2025. She is also a member of KIB’s Audit and Risk Committee and Investment Committee.
Irene holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
She is an accomplished governance, risk, and compliance leader with over seventeen (17) years of experience in regulated financial institutions within Malaysia’s insurance and takaful sectors.
She has a proven track record of strengthening regulatory adherence, establishing independent governance functions, and advancing strategic initiatives that enhance organisational resilience and operational effectiveness amid increasing regulatory expectations. Passionate about elevating corporate governance standards, she is committed to fostering transparency, ethical conduct, and public confidence in the financial services system.
In her most recent role as Chief Compliance Officer at Zurich Insurance Malaysia Berhad (“Zurich”), Irene led the compliance function across all four (4) licensed entities under Zurich Malaysia. She successfully implemented targeted governance and strategic planning initiatives that streamlined operations while maintaining robust compliance with regulatory requirements. A recognised industry leader, she was named one of the Top Ten (10) Chief Compliance Officers in Malaysia in 2023 by CEO Insight Asia. She has consistently championed ethical conduct, transparency, and strong governance through strategic collaboration with stakeholders and regulatory bodies, including her involvement with the Sub-Committee 2 of the Joint Committee on Climate Change (JC3).
Irene began her career as a Legal and Compliance Officer at Allianz Life Insurance Berhad before joining ING Insurance Berhad in 2011 as Compliance Manager, Enterprise Risk Management (“ERM”). She later served as Vice President of Compliance at HSBC Amanah Takaful Berhad and subsequently joined Etiqa Insurance Berhad as Head of Enterprise Risk Management, where she spearheaded the establishment of the ERM function and embedded stronger risk awareness and oversight across the organization.
She has also held senior leadership roles in AmMetLife Takaful Berhad and AXA AFFIN Life Insurance Berhad, serving as Head of Risk Management and Head of Compliance respectively.
