Nadiah Tan Abdullah is a highly accomplished professional and the Chief Human Capital Officer (CHCO) of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), one of the leading airport operators in Asia with 39 airports and one in Istanbul. With her extensive experience and exceptional leadership in human resources, Nadiah has played a pivotal role in driving the company’s people-centric strategies, fostering talent development, and creating a dynamic workplace culture that aligns with MAHB's business objectives.
Nadiah’s career trajectory reflects a deep commitment to human resources and organizational development. She holds a wealth of knowledge in various facets of human capital management, ranging from recruitment, talent retention, and leadership development to employee engagement and organizational transformation. Prior to her role as the CHCO at Malaysia Airports, Nadiah held several senior leadership positions in renowned organizations, where she was responsible for leading HR initiatives and aligning human resource strategies with broader corporate goals.
In her career journey, she was also involved directly in expanding the airlines networks whilst she was the People Director for AirAsia X through setting and growing teams as the business expanded from 9 planes to 23 planes within a span of 4 years. The aggressive expansion required a humanised approach in getting talent from the region and developing leadership and functional programs to scale up the business within a short window to run along the pace of the business. Her “hands-on” management approach of walking the ground most often allowed a transparent leadership style in engaging with the employees at all levels.
Her proven expertise in managing diverse teams and cultivating a positive working environment has made her a trusted leader in the field. Her experience spanned across the many different HR experience including restructuring work from manufacturing to sales and distribution in fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies such as Danone, BAT, Nestle, to being actively involved in Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) work in integrating newly acquired companies and harmonizing the rewards and change management process to ensure least disruption to the business by incorporating strategic talent retention programs. The high agility index in her, has provided her with great volatility in leading across industries, bringing along a substantial amount of both vertical and horizontal HR Leadership experience.
Her educational background further supports her strategic approach to human capital management. Nadiah graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the UK, and she has pursued continuous professional development throughout her career to stay ahead of industry trends and best practices, reflected by her fellowship with the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD-UK), continuously reinventing herself through continuous personal development with certifications in Coaching and Mentoring
including certifications in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Profiling tools. This strong academic foundation, combined with hands-on experience, allows her to approach human capital challenges with a unique blend of theoretical insight and practical solutions.
At Malaysia Airports, Nadiah’s leadership is central to shaping the company’s people strategy. Her focus is not only on recruitment but also on the development and well-being of existing employees. Under her stewardship, MAHB has worked to instill a culture of high performance and innovation, emphasizing the importance of employee satisfaction and growth opportunities. In her early months of being in Malaysia Airports, she walked the sites, listened to feedback from all levels and combined with her own observations and insights,
she had drawn up a HR Blueprint, endorsed and approved by the Board. The strategic People Plan was designed to be practical and forward thinking with an acronym of S.T.A.R.
S.T.A.R lays down the 4 strategic pillars enabling the HR Blueprint, central to the Business
Plan.;
S - Sustainable High Performing Culture
T - Top Employer Brand
A - Agile and Inspiring Leadership
R - Robust Talent Pool
She has spearheaded several initiatives aimed at enhancing employee engagement, increasing diversity and inclusion, and promoting lifelong learning within the organization. These efforts are designed to ensure that the company remains at the forefront of the aviation industry, driven by a talented and motivated workforce. 4 months. In September 2024, she led the talent management team in launching the High Potential Program called ACES covering about 132 pax with modular designed programs across a period of 4 months. The program also included Action Learning projects, and the winning team will present their project at the Leadership Summit in late April 2025.
She is a strong champion of employee wellness and inclusivity, hence balancing work performance and a well balanced workforce is central to her People strategies. She believes in companies providing not just the basic infrastructure to support employee experience but also leading the agenda in the provision of emotional support through inspiring Leadership Frameworks, Coaching and Mentoring and progressive Rewards schemes that are market relevant, fair and human centric.
One of Nadiah’s most notable achievements at MAHB has been her work in transforming the human resources function into a strategic partner that supports the business’s long-term objectives. Through her efforts, HR has evolved from a traditionally administrative role to a crucial element in driving the company's vision of becoming the world’s leading airport operator.
Beyond her corporate responsibilities, Nadiah is passionate about giving back to the community. She actively participates in initiatives that support career development, mentorship, women and youth empowerment, particularly within the context of Malaysia's growing talent pool. Nadiah's vision for the future of human capital at Malaysia Airports is rooted in innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity, ensuring that the organization continues to grow and thrive in an ever-changing global landscape.