Malaysia-listed PPB Group has named Kuok Meng Xiong to its board, bringing the third generation of the Kuok family into the conglomerate’s leadership.

The 44-year-old executive joined as a non-independent non-executive director effective 2 March, the company disclosed in a filing with Bursa Malaysia. He is the grandson of tycoon Robert Kuok, who controls PPB Group through the privately held Kuok Brothers.

Kuok Meng Xiong currently serves as managing director of Kuok Brothers Sdn Berhad, the family’s investment vehicle and controlling shareholder of PPB. He began his career with Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, where he spent a decade helping expand the luxury hotel brand into Europe, West Asia and Sri Lanka.

He later founded K3 Ventures, a Singapore-based venture capital firm that has backed more than 50 startups, including ByteDance, the parent of TikTok, and Grab.

Kuok holds a degree in hotel administration from Cornell University.

PPB Group, with a market value of about $3.9 billion, has core businesses in grains trading, livestock farming and flour and sugar milling. It also maintains investments in cinemas, property and environmental services.

The board appointment comes after PPB reported a $702 million net loss in 2025, largely due to a $1.092 billion impairment charge tied to its stake in Singapore-listed Wilmar International, which has faced regulatory scrutiny in China and Indonesia.

Robert Kuok, 102, built his fortune in commodities trading after World War II and later expanded into hospitality and other industries. Forbes estimates his net worth at $14.1 billion.