PROTON Holdings Berhad has established Proton International Corporation Sdn Bhd (PICSB), a wholly owned subsidiary created to manage and expand the company’s international operations. The new entity will provide PROTON with greater operational flexibility in overseas markets and is led by Chief Executive Officer Edmund Lim Meng Thong, formerly Director of PROTON’s International Sales Division.
With exports identified as a key growth area, PICSB is responsible for strengthening PROTON’s global presence, particularly in the Global South, while maintaining and expanding its existing export footprint. The company aims to increase its export volume tenfold over the next five years. The first board meeting was held on 14 July and attended by PROTON CEO Dr. Li Chunrong, Acting Deputy CEO Ainol Azmil, and CFO Chen Limin.
PROTON began exporting in 1986 and by the 1990s had established a presence in over 60 countries. The brand is currently focusing on high-potential regions such as ASEAN, the Middle East, and Africa. Since 2020, PROTON has exported 20,169 vehicles to 19 countries, making it the top vehicle exporter in Malaysia.
The brand’s best-selling export models since 2020 include the Proton Saga (10,998 units), X50 (3,986 units), and X70 (3,316 units). The e.MAS 7, launched in December 2024, has quickly climbed into the top three export performers for 2025, with 233 units exported to Nepal and Trinidad & Tobago.
This year has seen several key international milestones. In February, PROTON launched a locally assembled Saga in Egypt. In March and June, the e.MAS 7 was introduced in Nepal and Trinidad & Tobago, respectively. The brand is also preparing to re-enter Singapore, previewing the C-segment SUV at The Car Expo 2025 in May.
PICSB has set a target of exporting 6,000 units in 2025, with plans to double that in 2026 and surpass 60,000 units by 2030. Current export destinations include Brunei, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Trinidad & Tobago, Singapore, Bermuda, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Iraq, Ghana, Angola, Kenya, South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.
Commenting on the development, Edmund Lim said, “The establishment of Proton International Corporation Sdn Bhd marks a strategic move to enhance our global expansion efforts. We are setting ambitious goals and ramping up recruitment to support sales and marketing in key regions. Developments at the Automotive High Tech Valley (AHTV) will further support our production capacity for international demand.”
