Ir. Mohamed Firouz Asnan, FASc
(President)
Ir. Mohamed Firouz Asnan became Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP)’s first President on May 1, 2025, following six years of strategic stewardship on the university's Board. He brings with him over 35 years of industry experience at PETRONAS, where he held several senior leadership roles across the energy value chain — from upstream to downstream — as well as pivotal positions at the corporate centre. His extensive international experience across diverse cultures has equipped him with a unique perspective and the ability to lead in dynamic, complex environments.
Over the course of his distinguished career, Ir. Firouz served as Senior Vice President, Malaysia Petroleum Management (MPM) — the regulatory arm of PETRONAS — where he was entrusted with the national mandate to maximise the long-term value of Malaysia’s hydrocarbon resources. During his tenure at MPM, the upstream sector in Malaysia experienced a renaissance with the revitalisation of exploration activities. By the end of 2023, Malaysia not only reversed the production decline trend but also established itself as a leading oil and gas producer in the region, successfully achieving its 2025 upstream ambition target of 2 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe) per day ahead of schedule. Additionally, the upstream sector has significantly reduced its carbon footprint.
In addition, Ir. Firouz held the position of Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and was a member of PETRONAS’ Executive Leadership Team, developing long-term strategies to future-proof the organisation.
His appointment as President marks a transformative chapter for UTP as it launches the Full Potential Program (UFPP) to become a world-class institution. Ir. Firouz combines strategic vision, business acumen, and hands-on leadership with a passion for building capacity and driving research, innovation, and societal impact. He advocates a whole-industry approach, leveraging technology, partnerships, and collaboration with academia to transform industries and societies, shaping a better future.
Ir. Firouz is a registered professional engineer and a member of the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now known as University of Louisiana at Lafayette) and a Master of Business Administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as a Sloan Fellow. He was recently elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia.
