BYD Malaysia has announced a leadership transition, with Eagle Zhao focusing on his role as President Director of PT BYD Motor Indonesia. Jacob Ma has been appointed as the new Managing Director of BYD Malaysia, overseeing both BYD and DENZA brands. This change underscores BYD’s commitment to strengthening leadership in the region and highlights Malaysia as a key growth market in Southeast Asia.
During his time in Malaysia, Eagle Zhao significantly boosted BYD’s market presence, leading to the sale of over 30,000 vehicles and expanding the dealer network while promoting new energy vehicle adoption.
“Malaysia has been an incredibly important chapter in my journey with BYD,” said Eagle Zhao. “Together with our dedicated partners and team, we have built a strong foundation for both BYD and DENZA. I am confident that the momentum we have created will continue to propel the brands forward.”
Taking charge, Jacob Ma brings a lot of global experience from BYD’s headquarters in Shenzhen. Before this role, he was the Head of Training at BYD HQ for five years and then served as Vice President of BYD Indonesia for two years. During his time there, he helped create programs to prepare for international markets, improve retail standards, and build skills in different regions.
Earlier in his career, Jacob worked as a consultant in the aviation industry, where he focused on technology transfer. This gave him a strong background in working across different industries and improving operations. His experience in developing talent and aligning organizations makes him well-suited to lead BYD Malaysia into its next phase of growth.
“I am honoured to take on this responsibility at such an exciting time for BYD Malaysia,” said Jacob Ma, Managing Director of BYD Malaysia. “Malaysia remains a strategic market for the Group, and we are committed to delivering innovative products and comprehensive ownership experiences to our customers. Our focus will be on reinforcing operational excellence, elevating customer experience, and ensuring sustainable growth for both BYD and DENZA.”
As Managing Director, Jacob will be in charge of the overall business strategy, sales, marketing, network development, and aftersales for both brands. He will focus on building strong dealer relationships, growing the product range, and making clear differences between BYD and DENZA to improve competitiveness in the market.
With this change in leadership, BYD Malaysia shows its dedication to promoting electric mobility in the country while working to create a future-ready setup that supports Malaysia’s goals for green transportation.