KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 — The Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) today announced vice chairman and CEO of United Plantations Berhad Datuk Carl Bek-Nielsen as its new chairman effective May 1.

Having previously served on the MPOC board, MPOC said in a statement that Bek-Nielsen is well versed with the challenges and issues that the industry faces as he has extensive experience in the Malaysian palm oil industry.

As chairman of MPOC, Bek-Nielsen will continue to focus on the sustainability of and social improvements in the Malaysian palm oil sector, it added.

MPOC also said he will ensure the trade doors remain open for the world’s largest agri-commodity, as the industry moves towards its goal of producing sustainable palm oil.

MPOC CEO, Belvinder Kaur Sron, said it is confident that Bek-Nielsen’s leadership and unwavering commitment to sustainability and social progress in the palm oil trade will help to ensure that the industry’s global trading prospects remain open, and that sustainable practices continue to be at the forefront of the sector’s goals.

"We are very pleased to work with Bek-Nielsen in addressing the challenges and issues facing the industry, and we are confident that MPOC will thrive under his chairmanship,” she said.

Bek-Nielsen has been a Council Member of the Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) since 2005.

He has also served as a council member of the MPOC from 2005 to 2020 as well as serving on the Programme Advisory Committee to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), from 2008 to 2019.

In 2014, he was appointed to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Board of Governors as Co-Chairman, representing the MPOA, and continued serving as Co-Chair for nine years until early this year when he decided not to seek re-election.

He has also been appointed the Honorary Consul General of Denmark for Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur, as well as Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Selangor, and Terengganu.