Tan Sri Ananda Krishnan is a self-made Malaysian tycoon who is currently the fourth richest man in Malaysia, with a net worth of US$5.8 billion, according to Forbes.

Noted as an astute leader with exceptional business acumen, Ananda, who is known colloquially as AK, made his fortune as the captain of Usaha Tegas, which has stakes in telecoms, media and oil services. Some of his best-known business interests include television company Astro, satellite operator MEASAT and broadband provider Maxis.

A generous donor, Ananda is a regular benefactor of education, the arts, sport and humanitarian causes. The extraordinarily low-profile AK is a big believer in supporting education. Usaha Tegas and its subsidiaries are known to devote a substantial sum to provide scholarships to promising students through the charitable foundation YCF.

Ananda himself is a scholar who graduated with an honours degree in political science. He later obtained a Master’s in business administration from Harvard Business School.