Roslan Abdullah Joins GWM Malaysia As New COO

Former Proton Deputy CEO Roslan Abdullah revealed via LinkedIn earlier today that he has joined GWM Malaysia to become its new COO.

As predicted, it was only a matter of time before former deputy CEO of Proton Roslan Abdullah resurfaces with a new role within the industry. Earlier today, the exec revealed via LinkedIn that he has joined GWM Malaysia as its new chief operating officer (COO).

In other words, the Chinese automaker’s Malaysian arm has wooed arguably a critical new addition to their corporate leadership. For reference, the firm is led by Chinese national Cui Anqi who helms the role of MD (Managing Director).

Naturally, neither Roslan nor GWM Malaysia have elaborated much at this stage. Suffice to say it though, it will be interesting to see how the firm develops on the coming months with Roslan’s input, especially with efforts to introduce its ‘Wey’ premium sub-brand.

56-year-old Besut-born Roslan brings over three decades worth of experience under his belt to his new role at GWM Malaysia, and it will be interesting to see the firm's development with his inputs.

As a refresher, 56-year-old Roslan Abdullah’s CV in the local industry spans over three decades. His most notable tenures include management roles at both Modenas and Isuzu Hicom Malaysia, as well as president and COO of Honda Malaysia (2012 -2019).

Roslan’s time at Proton began in 2019 when we became CEO of its Proton Edar Sdn Bhd (PESB) sales arm and Vice President of Sales & Marketing. He was later promoted to Deputy CEO in 2022 where he worked alongside and reported to CEO Dr Li Chunrong.

As noted prior, Roslan is widely credited as the silent driving force behind Honda Malaysia’s rise towards becoming Malaysia’s leading non-national passenger car brand. He also oversaw Proton’s critical expansion into the electric vehicle (EV) marketspace.

An official photo of Roslan at his new GWM Malaysia office issued by the firm along with the press release announcing his appointment as their new COO.

UPDATED [June 16, 2025 @ 2:30PM]

GWM Malaysia just issued an official press release confirming Roslan Abdullah’s appointment as its new COO. The firm notes this as a reflection of its commitment to long-term growth, innovation and deeper integration into the local market.

“His leadership experience and strategic insight will be instrumental in strengthening our operations, reinforcing customer confidence and establishing GWM as a long-term player in Malaysia’s automotive landscape,” expressed GWM Malaysia MD Cui Anqi via said release.

“My vision is to position GWM as a trusted long-term mobility partner through a strong and reliable dealer and service network, a product portfolio that meets the needs of all Malaysians and a firm commitment to delivering seamless ownership experiences,” adds Roslan.