KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airlines has announced the appointment of Tengku Datuk Azmil Zahruddin as the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of the national carrier effective today.

Tengku Azmil replaces Datuk Sri Idris Jala who resigned effective today.

Idris has been appointed Minister without portfolio in the Prime Minister’s Department and as the Chief Executive Officer of Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU).

Tengku Dato’ Azmil, who was the executive director/ chief financial officer of the company, joined the national carrier in 2005 from Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd. Prior to this, he was attached to PricewaterhouseCoopers in London and Hong Kong.

Earlier reports

KUALA LUMPUR:Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has obtained approval from Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd to suspend trading of its shares between 9.00 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. Friday pending an announcement.

The announcement relates to the resignation of its director/CEO Datuk Seri Idris Jala and the appointment of the person to replace him.

Tengku Azmil likely to take over as MAS chief

PETALING JAYA: Tengku Datuk Azmil Zahruddin is widely speculated to take over as managing director and chief executive officer of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) with the sudden “departure” of Datuk Seri Idris Jala.

This is following Jala’s appointment as a minister in the Prime Minister’s Department yesterday.

Staff of the national carrier were caught by surprise by Jala’s appointment.

Tengku Datuk Azmil Zahruddin (left)is widely speculated to take over as managing director and chief executive officer of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) with the sudden “departure” of Datuk Seri Idris Jala (right).

When contacted, a company spokesman was unable to comment but said MAS would hold an emergency board meeting today to accept Jala’s resignation.

The board is expected to appoint Tengku Azmil, currently executive director and chief financial officer, as CEO.

OSK Research analyst Ng Sem Guan told StarBiz that Tengku Azmil, who was involved in MAS’ restructuring exercises, had a “high chance” to be Jala’s successor as the company needed someone who could “immediately run the company to ride through the current difficult time”.

“Tengku Azmil is the only one within the organisation whom I can think of (to replace Jala) because he is in charge of the company’s financial matters and familiar with MAS’ operations.

“However, if someone outside the organisation were to take over, it would be a million-dollar question who this candidate could be,” he said.

Last January, Jala in an interview with StarBiz had said if he (Jala) decided to call it a day, his preferred candidate to succeed him was Tengku Azmil.

Tengku Azmil was appointed to the MAS board on Aug 23, 2004 and made executive director a year later and appointed CFO on Feb 1, 2006.

He holds a double first class degree in Economics from the University of Cambridge.

He is a chartered accountant and an associate of the Association of Corporate Treasurers, Britain.

MAS : [Stock Watch] [News]For latest Bursa Malaysia indices, charts and other information click here

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