Philippine Airlines Appoints Former Malaysia Aviation Group Chief Izham Ismail to Board as Independent Director

Philippines – Captain Izham Ismail, former Group Managing Director of Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) and Malaysia Airlines, has been appointed as an independent director to the board of Philippine Airlines (PAL), effective 1 June 2026 — returning to the airline where he began his aviation career as an ab initio cadet in 1979.

• Ismail trained at the Philippine Airlines Aviation School in Manila from 1979 to 1980 before going on to accumulate more than 40 years of industry experience spanning flight operations, aviation safety, fleet strategy, and network development.
• At Malaysia Aviation Group, Ismail led the national carrier through a major corporate restructuring, fleet modernisation, and financial turnaround following pandemic-era operational losses — the expertise PAL is seeking as the carrier navigates aircraft delivery delays, engine supply chain bottlenecks, and increasing competition across Southeast Asia.
• The appointment completes a 47-year journey for Ismail, making his return to PAL's board a notable example of aviation cadet pipeline to executive boardroom progression.

Source: PAL