Our engagement with global business leaders consistently reaffirms one key point—Malaysia’s path to becoming a high-income nation is firmly anchored in the growth of its services sector. Time and again, when benchmarked against leading nations and global cities, it becomes clear that robust, innovation-driven services are a defining hallmark of advanced economies.

I am encouraged to witness Malaysia’s steady progress in this space, as we strengthened our position as a regional hub for high-value services, with the services sector now contributing to the national economy.

Malaysia’s services sector now anchors the country’s economic growth, accounting for 66.8% of total approved investments in 2024. This reflects the country’s steady shift towards a modern, knowledge-based economy, and Greater KL is playing a central role in this transformation.

We see this momentum as a clear signal that Greater KL is well-positioned to become a hub for high-value global services. Sectors such as digital innovation, fintech, healthcare, and customer experience are already transforming Greater KL into a base for regional and international operations. We continue to work closely with global investors who recognise this potential and are committed to growing with us.

Acting on a Clear Strategy Together

Malaysia’s investment trajectory continues to validate its shift towards a modern, services-driven economy. Last year, Malaysia attracted RM252.7 billion in approved investments in the services industry. These investments are expected to generate over 119,000 new jobs. Of the overall investments in services, more than half (53.8%) were in the information and communication sub-sector, highlighting Malaysia’s growing role as a hub for modern, high-skilled, knowledge-intensive activities.

This reflects not only investor confidence but also the impact of supportive government policies such as the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 and the 13th Malaysia Plan. Strong infrastructure, skilled talent, and a business-friendly ecosystem are key factors behind this growth.

A Launchpad for Growth

Greater KL offers a compelling mix of competitiveness, talent, and liveability. It ranks second in Southeast Asia in the MD World Competitiveness Ranking 2023, and third Most Competitive Global Business Services Location category in Kearney’s 2023 Global Services Location Index. The city ranks first in Asia for affordability, multicultural society, and modern amenities, according to International Living’s Global Retirement Index 2025, and is recognised among the top 20 cities globally for digital talent in BCG and The Network’s joint study, Decoding the Digital Talent Challenge.

InvestKL’s 150 and more leading global companies have significantly enriched the city’s business ecosystem. These investments have spurred transformative activities, advanced knowledge transfer, and elevated collaborative opportunities, positioning Greater KL as a magnet for innovation and growth. Notably, the new establishments in 2024 underscore the rising investor confidence in Greater KL’s strategic value and future-forward potential— among them, MODEC, a global provider of floating production solutions, which selected Greater KL to set up its Regional Engineering & Technical Competency Hub. The company cited the availability of high-skilled talent, a robust business environment, and a well-established oil and gas ecosystem as key drivers behind its decision. With Malaysia’s mature energy industry and a steady pipeline of graduates, the country offers a natural fit for MODEC’s regional operations.

Similarly, leading software provider Access Group chose Greater KL as the base for its Global Operation Centre, drawn by the region’s deep talent pool and vibrant innovation ecosystem, critical elements that support the company’s long-term growth.

Foundever, an American company and a global leader in customer experience, which works with more than 800 of the best digital-first brands internationally, chose to establish its very first multilingual hub in Greater KL, thanks to our uniquely skilled talent pool and robust infrastructure. InvestKL is proud to have helped connect Foundever with the local partners it needed in this endeavour, while providing support – as we do for all global MNCs – throughout their journey from setup and expansion. I am proud that InvestKL played an instrumental role in these companies’ investment journey, providing end-to-end support to facilitating a smooth and efficient.

These companies underscore our goal of attracting high-quality investments in modern services, not only for job creation but also for knowledge sharing and long-term capability building with local institutions.

But our efforts go beyond securing investments. We recognise that foreign investment is a powerful enabler of national agendas— driving job creation, talent development, and innovation-led growth. This vision is reinforced through strong public-private collaboration, which remains a cornerstone of InvestKL’s strategy. By working closely with our strategic partners, we facilitate knowledge transfer and capacity building across the ecosystem. One of our flagship initiatives is the Greater KL Live Lab (GKL Live Lab), which brings together MNCs, startups, SMEs, and academia to pilot innovation and commercialise cutting-edge solutions from Greater KL. With the participation of numerous future-forward companies, it further strengthens Greater KL’s position as a dynamic regional innovation hub.

Greater KL and Beyond

As we look ahead, Greater KL is poised to play an even more critical role in driving Malaysia’s economic transformation. While companies may initially choose Greater KL as a launchpad or entry point into the region, the opportunities across other parts of Malaysia quickly become evident, making it a win for the entire nation. We fully recognise this value, now more than ever, and are proud to see multinational companies expanding their presence with multiple hubs across various states, each contributing to and strengthening the unique proposition of Malaysia as a whole.

With our strong fundamentals, future-ready talent, and a vibrant ecosystem, we are well-positioned to attract the next generation of high-impact investments. At InvestKL, our commitment remains steadfast – we will continue to work hand-in-hand with leading global companies and partners to unlock new opportunities, spur sustainable growth, and help realise Malaysia’s ambition of becoming a high-income, innovation-led nation.

This commitment is echoed in the many initiatives and success stories taking shape across the country. These examples demonstrate Malaysia’s commitment to growing as a regional leader in digital, green, and high-value services. Our policies and partnerships reflect a shared vision that spans multiple states and agencies. We at InvestKL remain committed to our mandate: supporting investor success, enabling collaboration, and strengthening Greater KL’s position as a future-ready investment hub.

We look forward to continuing this journey with our partners, both locally and globally.