Captain Rajalingam Subramaniam is stepping down as chief executive of giant Malaysian shipowner MISC after less than two years.
The 40-year industry veteran is said to have “opted to resign and pursue his other interests”, the company said in a regulatory filing.
Zahid Osman, president and chief executive of the company’s tanker arm, AET, has been named as his successor in what MISC described as in accordance with its “succession planning process”.
Rajalingam, appointed president and CEO of MISC in October 2022, will officially step down on 15 August.
He began his career in 1984 at sea before coming ashore in 1996 and has since held various positions and leadership roles in the MISC Group.
He was appointed vice president, fleet management services in 2008 before being named chief executive of AET in January 2016.
Rajalingam, 58, is also a board member of protection and indemnity club Gard; sits on the executive committee of Intertanko; and is a member of the International Chamber of Shipping’s taskforce on the future of shipping.
“The board of directors and the management of MISC are grateful for Captain Dr Rajalingam’s contributions to the organisation and the industry,” the shipowner said.
Osman, 52, joined the MISC Group in 2017 as vice president of gas assets & solutions and became vice president of corporate planning in 2022.
He sits on the boards of several subsidiaries and joint venture companies within the group and was made a director of AET in January 2020 before being appointed CEO three-and-a-half years later.
Osman was previously with Shell for more than 20 years in management roles in finance, LNG marketing and trading and business development.
