DR. SHERMAL PERERA
BSc (Hons) Biochem, PhD MolBiol (UK), MSPO Auditor
GROUP MD & FOUNDER
FORTE • Controller & Strategist, Restructuring, Mergers & Acquisitions, Environment/Sustainability, Certified MSPO Auditor
More than a leader, Dr. Shermal is a force of nature – an instigator of change with radical ideas and unconventional methods that have rewritten the rulebook.
After spending over 11 years in the UK, he earned a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Aberdeen before contributing to groundbreaking work as a Research Leader at the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service and a post-doctorate Fellow at the University of Aberdeen. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, he ventured into biotechnology, founding and commercialising cancer vaccines, nanotherapeutics and drug delivery systems. His pioneering efforts led to collaborations with esteemed institutions such as Johns Hopkins, US National Institute of Health (NIH) and A.C. Camargo – the largest cancer hospital in Latin America. Along the way, he garnered numerous accolades, including Most Innovative Start-Up and Most Innovative Biotech Company in Asia.
Committed to making a tangible difference in people’s lives, Dr. Shermal later founded Agrinexus International. Over the past two decades, he has strategised and restructured more than 1.4mil hectares of plantation projects, creating thousands of jobs and uplifting communities through sustainable agriculture. His dedication to social impact extends beyond economic growth – he established the My Shining Star Foundation at JB Farm’s plantation in Nigeria, which currently supports over 300 students by providing education, school supplies and essential welfare assistance.
In addition to his entrepreneurial and philanthropic endeavours, he had established the Incorporated Society of Planters (ISP) Africa Chapter, an extension of the ISP parent body established in Malaysia in 1919. This initiative underscores his commitment to responsible and sustainable agricultural practices whilst empowering professionals in the plantation industry to reach their full potential. He also introduced the tagline ‘AgriUnity’ to foster collaboration within Africa’s agriculture sector, aiming to unite industry stakeholders and establish ISP branches across the continent to realise this vision. Dr. Shermal is also a certified Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Lead Auditor.
More than a leader, Dr. Shermal is a force of nature – an instigator of change with radical ideas and unconventional methods that have rewritten the rulebook.
After spending over 11 years in the UK, he earned a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Aberdeen before contributing to groundbreaking work as a Research Leader at the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service and a post-doctorate Fellow at the University of Aberdeen. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, he ventured into biotechnology, founding and commercialising cancer vaccines, nanotherapeutics and drug delivery systems. His pioneering efforts led to collaborations with esteemed institutions such as Johns Hopkins, US National Institute of Health (NIH) and A.C. Camargo – the largest cancer hospital in Latin America. Along the way, he garnered numerous accolades, including Most Innovative Start-Up and Most Innovative Biotech Company in Asia.
Committed to making a tangible difference in people’s lives, Dr. Shermal later founded Agrinexus International. Over the past two decades, he has strategised and restructured more than 1.4mil hectares of plantation projects, creating thousands of jobs and uplifting communities through sustainable agriculture. His dedication to social impact extends beyond economic growth – he established the My Shining Star Foundation at JB Farm’s plantation in Nigeria, which currently supports over 300 students by providing education, school supplies and essential welfare assistance.
In addition to his entrepreneurial and philanthropic endeavours, he had established the Incorporated Society of Planters (ISP) Africa Chapter, an extension of the ISP parent body established in Malaysia in 1919. This initiative underscores his commitment to responsible and sustainable agricultural practices whilst empowering professionals in the plantation industry to reach their full potential. He also introduced the tagline ‘AgriUnity’ to foster collaboration within Africa’s agriculture sector, aiming to unite industry stakeholders and establish ISP branches across the continent to realise this vision. Dr. Shermal is also a certified Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) Lead Auditor.