PwC Malaysia and MARii form knowledge partnership to advance automotive sector through MoU
19/05/25
KUALA LUMPUR, 19 May 2025 – At the PwC Automotive ASEAN Conference, held today at M Resort & Hotel, PwC Malaysia and the Malaysia Automotive Robotics & IoT Institute (MARii) marked a significant milestone with the formal handing over of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU represents a mutual commitment to foster a strategic partnership aimed at advancing the automotive sector in Malaysia and the broader ASEAN region.
The MoU formalises a knowledge partnership that facilitates knowledge exchange and industry advancement between PwC Malaysia and MARii. This partnership is designed to consolidate Malaysia’s stature within the global automotive industry, bolster Malaysia’s initiatives and leadership during its tenure as ASEAN Chair and deliver data-centric insights that underpin Malaysia’s automotive policy formulation and investment strategies.
Nurul A’in Abdul Latif, Executive Chair, PwC Malaysia said:
‘The automotive industry is undergoing profound change—driven by shifts in technology, regulation, investment priorities and consumer preferences. This MoU creates a foundation for more meaningful exchange between policy and industry, helping ensure that efforts are grounded in insight, promotes upskilling through knowledge sharing, and aligned with national priorities. We are excited to partner with MARii to drive industry transformation and provide advisory support, through our expertise in automotive deals ranging from strategic planning to execution and post-deal integration.’
Azrul Reza Aziz. Chief Executive Officer, Malaysia Automotive Robotics & IoT Institute said:
‘Malaysia’s long-term industrial strength will depend not only on scale alone, but on our ability to shape and sustain ecosystems that are cohesive and forward-looking. As mobility technologies evolve, the country’s priority is to ensure innovation translates into real industrial capability. By partnering with PwC Malaysia, we’re adding deeper data capabilities and global perspectives to our work, so that national policies can be more responsive to real market trends and investor needs.’
The ceremony featured a symbolic exchange between Nurul and Ts. Nizmar Mohd Nazar, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of MARii. Soo Hoo Khoon Yean, Managing Partner at PwC Malaysia, Patrick Ziechmann, PwC’s ASEAN Automotive Leader and Yang Berbahagia Datuk (DR.) Aminar Rashid, Chairman of MARii witnessed the exchange.
The conference also convened regional PwC leaders and industrial key players to discuss cutting-edge strategies redefining the industry’s future, as well as exploring four major trends reshaping the automotive industry—electric, shared, connected and autonomous driving—along with sustainability issues such as the circular economy. The event concluded with closing remarks delivered by Patrick Ziechmann.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
For more insights, explore PwC’s report on the ASEAN-6 automotive market here.
About PwC
At PwC, we help clients build trust and reinvent so they can turn complexity into competitive advantage. We’re a tech-forward, people-empowered network with more than 370,000 people in 149 countries. Across audit and assurance, tax and legal, deals and consulting we help build, accelerate and sustain momentum. Find out more at www.pwc.com.
About Malaysia Automotive Robotics & IoT Institute
Malaysia Automotive, Robotics & IoT Institute (MARii) is an agency under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI). Serving as the focal point, coordination centre and think tank for the nation’s automotive industry, it functions to enhance technology, human capital, supply chain, market outreach and aftersales capabilities of all automotive stakeholders and ecosystems.
MARii serves to spur the development of smart systems through the implementation of digital technologies with a special focus on big data analytics and artificial intelligence, including automotive and connected mobility ecosystem.
To find out more about MARii, please visit www.marii.my.
