KUALA LUMPUR: Khazanah Nasional Bhd has engaged in high-level discussions with French and Italian sovereign wealth funds to explore potential collaborations, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI).
The meetings, held during Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s official visits to Italy, France, and Brazil, aimed to strengthen economic ties and foster innovation.
Managing director Datuk Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir highlighted the shared challenges faced by Malaysia, France, and Italy in leveraging AI for global competitiveness.
“We looked at how we can collaborate when it comes to technology innovation, and even some of the mid-tier companies that they have and that we have, and see how we can collaborate further,” he said.
Khazanah’s partnerships with Italy’s Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and France’s Bpifrance have already laid the groundwork for deeper cooperation. The sovereign wealth fund’s recent financial performance further strengthens its position, with a record net asset value return of 24.6 per cent in 2024.
The official visits also included major Malaysian corporations such as Petronas, Tenaga Nasional, Maybank, FGV Holdings, and YTL Power International. Collectively, Malaysia’s bilateral trade with Italy, France, and Brazil reached RM50.91 billion last year, underscoring the importance of these economic relationships. - Bernama
