Anand Pon

Anand Pon (30 December 1956 – 23 October 2023) was a Malaysian educator and pioneer in vocational education. He is best known for developing Malaysia's first accredited diplomas in Enforcement and Compliance, as well as Corporate Investigation. Pon was the founder and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SMART College and Security Plus Academy, two institutions that made significant contributions to the field of technical and vocational training in Malaysia. 
==Personal Life==
Anand Pon was born on 30 December 1956 at Ave Maria Maternity Hospital in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, to S. Ponnudurai and Say Wai Peng. He attended La Salle Brickfields School and graduated with the class of 1973. In 1981, he earned a Bachelor of Agrobusiness from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). While conducting research for his thesis in 1981, he met Susan Valladares, whom he later married on 9 December 1987 at Saint Francis Xavier Church in Petaling Jaya. 
==Career==
===Before SMART College===
Anand Pon began his career as a certified money trader in New York. He then moved to Malaysia, where he worked at several prominent financial institutions. Pon held roles at Arab Malaysia Merchant Bank and Arab Malaysian Securities before being posted to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, where he worked for more than two years. After his tenure in Sabah, he returned to the headquarters of Arab Malaysia and joined the money market treasuries, bond market, and trading teams. Pon later worked at SJ Securities before moving to Merrill Lynch in Australia and Singapore. He eventually returned to Kuala Lumpur, where he worked at Jardine Fleming.
====Gerbang Perdana====
After his experience in investment banking, Pon transitioned to the construction sector, joining Gerbang Perdana, a construction company based in Petaling Jaya. As one of the company's directors, Pon played a significant role in the design and construction of the 2nd Integrated Customs Immigration Complex between Johor Bahru and Singapore. During the final stages of the project, the company faced challenges due to a lack of local expertise to sign off on the work. In response to this, the Chairman of the company tasked Pon, the youngest board member at the time, with resolving the issue.
====International Centre for Security Management (ICSM)====
In 2005, Pon founded the International Centre for Security Management (ICSM), a training and consulting company focused on enhancing professional expertise in law enforcement, security, investigation, and safety. Through ICSM, Pon organized the First World Security Forum in 2006, which was officiated by Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak. The forum focused on security and safety issues in the industry.
In 2007, ICSM hosted a significant event aimed at training senior police officers, particularly those in charge of police districts (OCPDs), on the use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) for crime prevention. This forum, officiated by then Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, brought together global experts in law enforcement, security, and investigation.
The following year, the ICSM organized the Second World Security Forum in Singapore, partnering with Certis Cisco and gaining the involvement of both Malaysia’s and Singapore’s Ministers of Home Affairs. This forum further solidified Pon's position as a key figure in the security management field.
===SMART College and Security Plus Academy===
In 2012, Pon sought to address gaps in the technical and vocational education sector by developing Malaysia's first accredited diploma programs in Enforcement and Investigation, accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA). This initiative led to the establishment of SMART College and Security Plus Academy (SPA), which were granted licenses under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system. 
SMART College and SPA started from a small facility in Gasing Indah with only two classrooms and 40 students. Over time, the institutions expanded significantly, with SMART College eventually occupying a 17,000 square foot campus. Throughout his time running SMART College, Anand Pon has made notable connections and viists with huge figures in the industry, such as his courtesy visit with Inspector-General Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun in 2018. 
By the time of Pon's passing in 2023, SMART College was serving over 400 students, and SPA had grown to over 800 students. The institutions offered a broad range of programs, including Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), and Digital Marketing, alongside their flagship programs in law enforcement and security.
Graduates from SMART College and SPA have gone on to work in various sectors, including police, customs, immigration, firefighting, and private enterprises, contributing to Malaysia's workforce in both public and private sectors.SMART College's first convocation at Royal Selangor Club, Kuala Lumpur (2015)
==Death==
On the 29th of October 2023, Anand Pon passed away following treatment for his illness. This left a major impact on both SMART College and SPA as he was heavily involved in all matters regarding the two institutions.
==Achievements==
*Developed and wrote the first MQA accredited Diplomas in Enforcement and Compliance as well as Corporate Investigation.
*Received the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Champion Award in 2019.
Category:1956 births
Category:2023 deaths
Category:Malaysian educators
Category:University of Putra Malaysia alumni