Naza Group founder Nasimuddin dies

Tan Sri S.M. Nasimuddin S.M. Amin, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of the Naza Group, passed away of lung cancer in California on May 2, 2008. He was 54 years old.

The low-profile businessman founded the Naza Group in 1974, starting his automobile business with an allocation of Approved Permits (APs) to import foreign cars.

The Group now has 14 business divisions covering industries such as cigarette distribution, credit and leasing, engineering, hotels, insurance, machine tools and parts, manufacturing, motorcycles, property, transport services, plantations and water craft.

Nasimuddin had an extraordinary approach in developing his business, starting with selling imported used cars from Japan and then going on to collaborating with foreign companies to produce and sell local cars under his own brand name.