PROTON Holdings Berhad (Proton) has announced the formation of Proton International Corporation Sdn Bhd (PIC), a wholly owned subsidiary formed to spearhead Proton's overseas expansion efforts.

PIC, whose prime objective is to provide more flexibility when dealing with international markets, is led by chief executive officer Edmund Lim Meng Thong who was formerly the director of Proton’s International Sales Division.

With export sales identified as a key driver of future sales growth, the company is tasked with enlarging Proton’s global footprint as it aims to expand to the Global South while also continuing to oversee and develop sales and marketing efforts in existing overseas markets.

The company aims at an export sale of 6,000 units this year with a target to double that figure next year and exceed 10 times that volume by 2030. 

“The official registration of PIC marks a pivotal moment, sharpening our focus and increasing our agility to drive global expansion. We are setting ambitious targets for the next few years and to achieve this, we are actively hiring more talent for our regional sales and marketing teams. 

"We are also excited about the progress made at the Automotive High Tech Valley (AHTV), which will boost our production capability to meet growing international demand” said Lim.

Proton began its exports operations just a year after its first car was produced.

It began exporting to Bangladesh in 1986 and quickly expanded its international reach, notably becoming the fastest-growing new car franchise in the UK by 1992, with annual sales reaching 15,000 units. 

Proton models were present in 64 countries globally by the early 2000s, with the company then strategically shifting its focus to high-growth regional markets such as ASEAN, China, India, the Middle East, and North Africa.

It remains committed to expanding its global presence as of 2025 by introducing new models and technologies to international markets. 

The company has exported 20,169 vehicles to 19 countries between 2020 and 2025 making it the leading exporter of vehicles from Malaysia.

Its top three exported models since 2020 are the Proton Saga with 10,998 units, the Proton X50 with 3,986 units and the Proton X70 with 3,316 units. 

However, the Proton e.MAS 7 has quickly gained favour, rising to third place in export sales this year - a total of 233 units have been delivered since its export began to Nepal and Trinidad & Tobago. 

Domestically the e.MAS 7 has maintained strong sales since its launch in December 2024 with 916 units sold in May for domestic and international markets, bringing its total YTD sales to 3,632 units.

Sales numbers aside, the international sales team has been busy since the beginning of 2025. February saw the launch of the locally assembled Proton Saga in Egypt with local distributor Ezz Elarab Group while the Proton e.MAS 7 made its international debut in Nepal the following month followed by its introduction in Trinidad & Tobago in June. 

Singapore will be next on the list following a special sneak preview of the new C-segment sports utility vehicle (SUV) at The Car Expo 2025 in May, which will mark the re-entry of Proton into the island nation after an absence of over a decade.

Proton currently exports to 19 countries, namely Brunei, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, T&T, Singapore, Bermuda, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Iraq, Ghana, Angora, Kenya, South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe.