Praveen goes from CelcomDigi to lead PayNet

Trusted Malaysian institution Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) has appointed Praveen Rajan as its CEO Designate, effective December 2025.

With support from the company and board, Praveen will steer a smooth transition of institutional knowledge and build on the success of the current management team and leaders over the coming months.

He is slated to replace current Group CEO Farhan Ahmad from 1 February, 2026. 

As Chief Consumer Business Officer at CelcomDigi, the country’s largest telecommunications company with about twenty million customers, Praveen led all consumer-facing functions following the merger of Celcom and Digi on 1 December 2022. His portfolio covered brand, product, digital experience and commercial growth.

He brings more than fifteen years of experience from Digi and Telenor Group, where he held senior roles in commercial strategy and digital innovation. He previously headed Digi-X, the company’s venture-building arm focused on enterprise partnerships and new digital services.

Before entering the telecommunications sector, Praveen co-founded the social networking startup LifeLogger in 2003 and served as its Chief Technology Officer.

His appointment at PayNet comes as the national payments operator accelerates its role in driving the country’s digital payments ecosystem. He will oversee the national payment infrastructure, industry collaboration and the next phase of Malaysia’s cashless transformation.