Global InformationVinod Sekhar information
 | This article contains content that is written like an advertisement. (June 2020) |
Yang Berbahagia Dato' Vinod Sekhar | |
|---|---|
| Born | Vinod Balachandra Sekhar 6 August 1968 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Nationality | Malaysian |
| Spouse | Datin Dr. Winy Sekhar |
Dato' (Dr) Vinod Sekhar is the Chairman and Chief Executive of the PETRA Group,[1] which is a global conglomerate involved in sustainable industries, with a stated goal of providing "solutions for humanity". PETRA Group's businesses include restaurants, recycling rubber, media and entertainment, agriculture and modular building materials.[2]
Mr Sekahr is currently being sued by 12 investors and former employees, for alleged fraud, misrepresentation, breach of contract, and acknowledgement of debt.[3] Further, in 2021, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission opened a money laundering and tax evasion investigation into Mr Sekhar's affairs.[4]
As a self-proclaimed advocate for social capitalism, Sekhar says he believes that business interests and social concerns should go hand in hand, which acts as the basis of the PETRA Group. He loudly claims that enterprises should be run as profitable ventures while doing the right thing for employees, customers, society, and the environment, to ensure sustainable wealth creation and equitable income generation for all.
He is the founder of the Vinod Sekhar Foundation and claims it undertakes various initiatives to alleviate poverty, provide healthcare and education, and support the most vulnerable communities including the indigenous, disabled, old folks, children, refugees, and poor.[5]
However the Foundation has no website so the claims are impossible to verify. Mr Sekhar has a history of unfulfilled philanthropic commitments including a £2.5 million towards the British charity 'Hopes and Homes for Children' in 2008 and an £8 million pledge to Saint Andrews Medical School in 2010 neither of which materialised. He also pledged to donate 200,000 COVID vaccines in 2021 which never arrived.[6][7][8]
In fact, Mr Sekhar has a history of profiting from the sale of medical devices and allegedly purchased a $17.5 million yacht with proceeds from the sale of ventilators during the COVID pandemic.[9][10]
He was named by Forbes magazine as Malaysia's 28th richest man in 2009.[11]
The title of Dato' was given to Sekhar at the age of 26 by Yang di Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Ja'afar on his 71st birthday, who was at that time the 10th Yang di Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.
- ^ "About | Social Capitalism Company Malaysia". PETRA Group. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
- ^ Staff Reporter (9 July 2020). "Green Rubber Global - the next generation business by Vinod Sekhar". Olive Press News Spain. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
- ^ Khairulrijal, Rahmat (5 February 2024). "[Updated] Vinod Sekhar sued by investors, ex-employees for fraud | New Straits Times". NST Online.
- ^ "Businessman's Bangsar offices raided in major money laundering, tax evasion probe". MalaysiaNow. 29 November 2021.
- ^ "SMEs, traders to benefit under foundation program". Borneo Post Online. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
- ^ "Medical school in £8m pledge wait". BBC News. 17 February 2010.
- ^ MacDonald, James Ashton and Stuart (12 March 2024). "University of St Andrews' £8m donor fails to deliver". The Times. London.
- ^ "Man behind free vaccines offer has history of unfulfilled pledges". MalaysiaNow. 20 May 2021.
- ^ "Revealed: Warning by medical experts over ventilators sold to Hungary by Malaysian businessman". MalaysiaNow. 4 February 2022.
- ^ "Hungarian COVID-19 ventilator procurement mired in corruption". intellinews.com. 30 August 2023.
- ^ "Malaysia's 40 Richest". Forbes. Retrieved 9 August 2022.