Malaysia Airlines head Izham to stay on after contract extended

MALAYSIA Airlines chief executive officer Izham Ismail will stay at the helm another year after his contract was extended, the carrier confirmed on Wednesday (Nov 13).

Izham, who has been running Malaysia’s flagship airline since 2017, was initially due to retire at the end of 2024 when his current contract expires. An airline representative confirmed the extension after a question from Bloomberg News.

Izham will also continue serving as the managing director of Malaysia Airlines’ parent, Malaysia Aviation Group.

The 63-year-old former pilot has been with the airline for more than four decades and navigated it through the aftermath of the twin tragedies of the disappearance of MH370 and the shooting down of MH17, which pushed Malaysia Airlines to the brink.

Izham then oversaw Malaysia Airlines’ turnaround that resulted in the carrier posting first annual profit in a decade last year.

More recently, staff shortages and delays in deliveries of new aircraft have forced Malaysia Airlines to cut capacity, hampering growth plans. BLOOMBERG