Vinod B. Sekhar

President and Group Chief Executive

The Petra Group

Datuk Vinod B. Sekhar is the President and Chief Executive of The Petra Group, the Malaysian-based technology conglomerate with interests ranging from rubber recycling, biofuels and biotechnology to financial software.

He recently received the Corporate Leader of the Year award from Grant Thornton for his efforts in the field of corporate responsibility and is recognised as one of South East Asia’s leading entrepreneurs and philanthropists.

In a lifetime of business achievement, Datuk Vinod created South East Asia’s first commercial internet company and the the world’s smallest optic engine. Current technologies under development include potential new forms of treatment for HIV and cancer, as well as next generation biofuels.

The Petra Group is 60% owned by the Sekhar Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm, which supports charitable organisations across the world. The Foundation was formed by Vinod 20 years ago.

Over the next year, the Sekhar Foundation will give away $20m to a range of organisations that are working in the fields of education, poverty alleviation and healthcare provision. The scope of the Foundation’s efforts is diverse. Current projects include a £8m scholarship scheme for South East Asian students at the University of St Andrews in Scotland - which has also led to the building of the state of the art B.C.Sekhar School of Medicine and the Sciences at the University. The Foundation is also the main sponsor for South East Asia’s largest rainforest research programme in the Danum Valley in Borneo.

Vinod was the first and youngest Asian fellow of Kappa Delta Pie, a US based international Honours Society for Education, for his contribution towards raising global standards of education. He was named by the World Economic Forum as one of Asia’a 40 New Asian Leaders.

As chief executive of Petra Group, Vinod strives to create and grow businesses that provide solutions for humanity.

And Green Rubber – one of Petra Group’s key businesses – is fulfilling its potential and providing an environmentally friendly recycling solution to the global problem of waste tyres, one of the world’s most acute environmental threats.  You will find that the soles of your complimentary Timberland boots are made using Green Rubber made from waste tyre rubber. 

In December Vinod will become the first Asian to receive a Global Green award for his work in developing Green Rubber.

 Vinod is married to Dr Winy Sekhar and they have two daughters, Petra and Tara.