Philippine Airlines (PAL) has appointed former Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) group managing director Datuk Captain Izham Ismail as an independent director, as the airline strengthens its leadership team to support fleet modernisation and international expansion plans.
Former Malaysia Aviation Group Bhd group managing director Datuk Captain Izham Ismail.
According to a report by Insider PH, Izham joins the PAL board alongside Filipino businessman Edgar Chua, former country chairman of Shell Philippines.
The appointments are part of the airline’s efforts to strengthen board expertise as it expands operations and enhances governance.
Izham retired from MAG, the parent company of Malaysia Airlines, on Jan 31, 2026, after serving the airline group for more than 40 years. He was succeeded by Captain Nasaruddin A Bakar as president and group chief executive officer.
During his tenure, Izham led MAG’s 2021 financial restructuring, which reduced the group’s liabilities by over RM15 billion, eliminated RM10 billion in debt, and secured a RM3.6 billion capital injection from major shareholder Khazanah Nasional Bhd.
He also oversaw operational improvements that helped return the airline group to profitability in recent years.
PAL chairman and chief executive officer Lucio Tan welcomed the appointments, highlighting Izham’s aviation experience and Chua’s business leadership expertise.
The airline said both appointments will support PAL’s efforts to achieve sustainable growth, strengthen governance, and expand its global connectivity.
PAL underwent Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring in 2021, eliminating more than US$2 billion in debt. Since completing its financial restructuring, the airline has reported consistent quarterly profitability while investing in fleet upgrades and route expansion.
For the first quarter of 2026, PAL reported a net income of US$78.55 million, up 2.6 per cent year-on-year, while revenue increased 9.7 per cent to US$895.7 million.
