PETALING JAYA: PwC Malaysia and the Malaysia Automotive Robotics & IoT Institute (MARii) yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance the automotive sector in Malaysia and the broader Asean region.

The MoU signed at the PwC Automotive Asean Conference formalises a partnership that facilitates knowledge exchange and industry advancement between PwC Malaysia and MARii.

This partnership is designed to consolidate Malaysia’s stature within the global automotive industry, bolster Malaysia’s initiatives and leadership during its tenure as Asean Chair and deliver data-centric insights that underpin Malaysia’s automotive policy formulation and investment strategies.

PwC Malaysia executive chair Nurul A’in Abdul Latif said: ‘The automotive industry is undergoing profound change driven by shifts in technology, regulation, investment priorities and consumer preferences. This MoU creates a foundation for more meaningful exchange between policy and industry, helping ensure that efforts are grounded in insight, promotes upskilling through knowledge sharing, and aligned with national priorities. We are excited to partner with MARii to drive industry transformation and provide advisory support, through our expertise in automotive deals ranging from strategic planning to execution and post-deal integration.”

MARii CEO Azrul Reza Aziz said Malaysia’s long-term industrial strength will depend not only on scale alone, but on their ability to shape and sustain ecosystems that are cohesive and forward-looking.

As mobility technologies evolve, he added the country’s priority is to ensure innovation translates into real industrial capability and by partnering with PwC Malaysia, they are adding deeper data capabilities and global perspectives to their work, so that national policies can be more responsive to real market trends and investor needs.

The conference convened regional PwC leaders and industrial key players to discuss cutting-edge strategies redefining the industry’s future, as well as exploring four major trends reshaping the automotive industry – electric, shared, connected and autonomous driving – along with sustainability issues such as the circular economy.