Addendum
Career pilot takes top job at Malaysia Airlines
November 1st 2017
Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) quickly appointed a successor to Peter Bellew after the Irishman accepted Ryanair’s offer to return to his former employer as chief operating officer. Read More »
The new MAB group CEO and executive director-designate is Captain Izham Ismail, a 38-year veteran of the airline who has worked as the group’s chief operating officer during Bellew’s tenure. His promotion took immediate effect on October 20. Captain Izham is the fourth Group CEO in last four years in a period that has seen MAB run by two consecutive foreign bosses, Christoph Mueller and then Bellew.
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“Captain Izham will assume his role as GCEO from December 1, 2017 upon the departure of Peter Bellew who is currently on administrative leave,” an MAB airline statement said.
Captain Izham began his Malaysian Airlines career as a pilot. He rose through the ranks to become director of operations, then chief executive of MAS Wings and most recently as the successor to Bellew as COO.
It is no surprise that MAB’s owners, the Khazanah Nasional Berhad sovereign wealth fund, decided to appoint a local to the job. “Bellew’s departure, if anything, has merely accelerated our plans to localize the leadership of MAB,’’ MAB chairman, Nor Yusof, said in an e-mail to the carrier’s staff.
“I am proud that he is our own internal home grown talent and I am confident he will be able to take the airline further forward and ensure the turnaround plan is met. We are now in our third year of the five year MAS Recovery Plan and it is timely for us to appoint a Malaysian to see it through to the finish line,” Nor said.
Izham is elated by the appointment. In a statement he said: “I am humbled and at the same time ready for the challenge. We are on track to a full and complete transformation as outlined in the 12 point MAS Recovery Plan (MRP). I am looking forward to working with my MAB colleagues to make this airline the pride of the nation again.”
Chairman Nor urged staff to rally around the new CEO. Flights must continue to take off and land on time and staff must continue to provide sincere and genuine Malaysian Hospitality across every customer’s touch point, he said. “We have weathered many storms together as a family and we will come back stronger and better than ever.”
To ensure a smooth transition, a Board Executive Committee will be in place for six months, led by chairman Nor, the airline said.
