Aaron Chandrasakaran (Khazanah) — Meeting Prep

Last updated: 2026-07-02

Standalone prep for the meeting with Aaron Chandrasakaran, Sat 4 Jul, 3pm. Not a script — just to walk in with a clear head.

Read this first

Why this meeting is happening

I didn't ask for this one. Tarmizi's positioning note landed with Aaron and he asked to meet — off the back of a note I wrote for exactly this kind of moment. That's a good sign in itself: the note is doing its job.

What I actually know

Aaron joined Khazanah in June 2026 as Executive Director, Portfolio Value Development. Before that, 20+ years in investment banking — MD, Head of IB Coverage APAC at Jefferies (Hong Kong), and before that MD, Head of Investment Banking at Citigroup (Hong Kong). Tarmizi's "couple of years at Jefferies" undersold him — this is a peer-level, senior banker, not someone testing the water.

He reports into Khazanah's Investment Management line, most likely under Hisham Hamdan (CIO) — inferred from site structure, not confirmed.

Tarmizi's framing of the ask: Khazanah's people are mostly IB/investment-smart, thin on operators. I've been positioned as someone who straddles both.

The shape of the conversation is genuinely open. Could be about a Khazanah role, could be about deployment into a GLC under transformation. No sector given.

One thing to fix before I walk in

Aaron already asked Tarmizi whether I can handle board dynamics — specifically boards seated with both Khazanah reps and Khazanah staff. My answer through Tarmizi was "no direct experience, but I think I'd handle it." That's honest, but it's also a hedge, and if he asks me the same question directly I don't want to repeat it word for word. I do have adjacent evidence: I operated in front of a Group board under real governance scrutiny through Garuda. Not the same seat, but not nothing either.

What I want from this conversation

I'm not walking in trying to close anything — I don't even know what "it" is yet. I want to leave with a clear read on: which of the two things this actually is (Khazanah role vs GLC deployment), what "Portfolio Value Development" actually does day to day, and whether Aaron sees me as a fit for it or is just gathering names for a longer list.

Keep it simple

Let him lead — he called the meeting, not me. Answer the board-dynamics question better than I did through Tarmizi. Don't oversell the plantation/operations background as the whole story; lead with the rare-combination frame (capital-market exposure + operational depth) that's already worked with Tarmizi.

Background on Aaron (for reference)
Role Executive Director, Portfolio Value Development, Khazanah (joined Jun 2026)
Prior MD, Head of IB Coverage APAC, Jefferies HK (2022–2026); MD, Head of Investment Banking, Citigroup HK (~2010–2022)
Education BA, University of Pennsylvania, summa cum laude
Personal texture Classical violinist, FTCL diploma, played for Malaysia at the Asian Youth Orchestra — possible rapport opener, not a plan
Reports to (inferred) Hisham Hamdan, CIO

Open questions to probe (not to ask outright)

Cross-references