Captain Izham Bids Farewell To Final Media Engagement, Expresses Confidence In MAG's Successors
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 (Bernama) -- Outgoing Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) group managing director Datuk Captain Izham Ismail on Monday marked his final official engagement with the media, closing a chapter spanning more than four decades with the company, with gratitude, reflection and quiet emotion.
Speaking at a media briefing on MAG’s Long-Term Business Plan 3.0 (LTBP3.0), Captain Izham thanked members of the media for their role throughout MAG’s transformation journey, acknowledging the scrutiny, support and accountability that came with steering the airline through some of its most challenging years.
“This will be my last engagement with the media, and I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart. You have been with us through the good times and the very difficult ones,” he said.
At several instances during the session, Captain Izham appeared visibly emotional as he reflected on his tenure, describing his proudest achievement not in numbers or financial metrics, but in people.
“I am proud that I was able to develop a strong bench of leaders not just at the C-suite level, but across the organisation,” he said.
Captain Izham said the process of succession planning had been deliberate and, at times, painful, but necessary to ensure MAG’s sustainability beyond any one individual.
“My job is done. It is for them to take this organisation forward and better,” he said.
Captain Izham expressed full confidence in his successor, Captain Nasaruddin A. Bakar and the leadership team, stressing that MAG is now in “very good hands” as it embarks on its next phase of growth under Business Plan 3.0.
MAG has appointed Captain Nasaruddin as its president and group chief executive officer (CEO), effective Feb 1, 2026, a new designation succeeding the former group managing director position. Captain Izham will retire on Jan 31, 2026.
Beyond operational recovery and profitability, Captain Izham said Nasaruddin’s leadership philosophy had evolved to emphasise diversity, humility and service, which he believes are critical to delivering authentic Malaysian hospitality and building a resilient organisation.
“Leadership is not about survival anymore. “It is about nation-building, serving 14,000 people and enabling them to deliver the outcome,” he emphasised.
Asked what his next plan was after retirement, the veteran national airline captain said there are no plans yet.
Captain Izham began his career with Malaysia Airlines as a pilot in 1979 and rose through the ranks to hold various key leadership roles before being appointed as the group managing director on Dec 1, 2017, making him the company’s longest-serving chief executive to date.
In 1997, he set a world aviation record when he flew Malaysia Airlines’ first B777-200 eastward from Seattle to Kuala Lumpur and back.
-- BERNAMA