WASHINGTON D.C: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob met senior officials of major American companies here on Thursday (Friday in Malaysia).

The companies included Microsoft, Google, Tesla, Boeing, IBM, Texas Instruments, GE Aviation, Conoco Phillips, Ford, National Instruments, Infineon, Micron, and Insulet.

Ismail Sabri engaged with them during the meet and greet business session at a hotel here.

The Malaysian Prime Minister, who arrived here on Wednesday, is on a four-day working visit to the United States.

The American senior officials included the president of Boeing for Southeast Asia Alexander Feldman, Tesla head of federal policy Hasan Nazar, and the corporate vice-president for public affairs of Micron Courtney Geduldig.

Others were the Cisco president for Asia Pacific, Japan, and China Dave West, Google vice-president for government affairs and public policy Karan Bhatia and Texas Instruments vice-president and head of global government relations Steve Bonner.

Senior Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah were present too.

Among others, he witnessed the exchange of a memorandum of understanding between Malaysia's Human Resource Development Corporation (HRDC) and three American entities, namely the World Innovation, Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), Accenture PLC, and the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI).

The Prime Minister also witnessed a Letter of Intent (LOI) handover by Malaysia's MyDigital Corporation to four American companies namely Cisco Systems Inc; Intel Corporation; Microsoft Corporation and Micron Technology Inc as well as handover of Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA)'s approval letter to Advanced Micro Devices Inc for the company's expansion in Malaysia.

Later, HRD Corp chief executive Datuk Shahul Dawood told the Malaysian media that the three MoUs it inked would enable better training for Malaysians.

"Their (American) expertise and training modules are rich in content with application of latest technology, which is key in talent development. Such exposure will boost our workforce's demand regionally and internationally," he said.

HR Certification Institute secretary Gardiner Hempel said they were willing to help develop Malaysians talent for all industries.

Secretary general of World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) Dr James Poisant said their training focus on how technology could help improve the human life.

"It is how to help people for their benefit," he said.

Accenture managing director Allison M. Horn said her company was willing to share the reskilling and upskilling training with Malaysia.


-- BERNAMA