LONDON: The air was alive with excited chatter as the VVIPs walked into the brand new office on the 22nd floor filled with the Who’s Who in Malaysia and some British top bankers and investors.
Even the MC, a British guy who works for Khazanah in Kuala Lumpur, joked at the start of the event that Kuala Lumpur must be deserted by now.
The guest of honour at the opening of Khazanah Nasional Bhd’s new regional office at the towering The Shard was Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also Khazanah board chairman.
Adding to the air of excitement was the surprise appearance of Sadiq Khan, who, just two weeks ago, was elected as the new mayor for the city here, succeeding Boris Johnson.
It was quite a coup for Khazanah managing director Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar and his team to be able to get Sadiq, who was elected on May 5, and has been a very busy man since then.
He is also the first Muslim mayor for London.
Khazanah officials said Sadiq managed to rejig his packed diary to come and make a short speech before going off without staying for dinner.
On his arrival, Sadiq posed with Najib, Azman and Sajid Javid, the United Kingdom’s secretary of state for business, innovation and skills.
Interestingly, Sadiq, aged 45, and Javid, aged 46, are both British-born and their fathers were bus drivers of Pakistani descent.
Both were from working-class families, but are making their names as British politicians.
Azman paid tribute to them, as well as three Malaysians who had a hand in the design of the office or the event proper.
They were restaurant owner and famous chef Tuk Din, musician, harpsichordist and conductor Datuk Dr Ng Kah Ming and 40-year-old Kedah-born architect Ridzwa Fathan, who designed the Khazanah London office and whom Azman said he met by chance at the Trafalgar Square.
In his short speech, Sadiq said he welcomed Khazanah’s move to open its European office here.
“We hope this will remain the European headquarters after June 23,” he said, drawing laughter from the crowd.
He was, of course, alluding to the June 23 referendum on whether Britain should stay or leave the European Union.
The same point was raised by Najib.
He said Malaysia would give moral support to the UK to remain in the EU and warned of adverse consequences otherwise.
Malaysian and UK business ties were getting warmer, a point raised by Najib and Javid, a former investment banker.
Javid said even from his Westminster office, he could see a Malaysian legacy taking shape.
He was referring to the Battersea power plant redevelopment project here.
Two of the three Malaysians behind the project attended the event.
Javid spoke highly of Malaysia’s economic success, which he followed closely, when he was working as an investment banker in Singapore.
“I saw for myself how Malaysia is a nation on the run.
“Home to a diverse, moderate population, fast-growing and outward-facing economy.”
He visited Kuala Lumpur last year where he led a UK trade mission.
“I got the sense that it is a country that is really going places.
“It is ambitious, it is international and, of course, hugely successful. So it is great to see you (Khazanah) opening the first European outpost here in the UK.”