PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) on Thursday (Sept 19) announced the appointment of Ainol Amriz Ismail as the new chief executive officer (CEO), effective Oct 1.
Ainol Amriz will replace Datuk Mustapa Omar, whose contract ends on Sept 30, as he will be moving on to other areas, asid the MPI in a statement.
MPI president Datuk Yong Soo Heong said that Ainol Amriz, who previously served as UtusanTV’s assistant editor and was a member of the MPI Board of Administrators, was appointed following the Board’s approval.
"This appointment follows an interview process, with consideration given to his experience and expertise in media, communication, and industry training," Yong stated.
Yong also expressed the institute’s highest appreciation to Mustapa for his outstanding service, particularly in transforming MPI into a more dynamic and transparent organisation.
"Pak Mus (Mustapa) has been very successful in his desire to lead MPI into a new chapter. We respect his decision to step down in March after achieving his targets and requested that he postpone his resignation until we find a suitable candidate," said Yong.
Ainol Amriz holds a Master's degree in Social Science (Communication Management) from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and is currently a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Universiti Malaya.
He has over 30 years of experience in journalism, media, and communication, having served at Utusan Melayu (M) Berhad as manager of the Editorial Department and executive director of Sibermedia Sdn Bhd, a training provider and subsidiary of the group.
His other experiences include being an accredited trainer at the Human Resources Development Corporation, serving as a panel member for the Media and Communication Studies Standard Review Programme at the Malaysian Qualifications Agency from 2023 to 2025, and teaching as a part-time lecturer at the Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication at Universiti Putra Malaysia for several semesters.
Meanwhile, Ainol Amriz expressed his gratitude for being entrusted with the position and emphasised that he intends to focus on enhancing training programmes based on current needs and stimulating media practitioners' interest in the Malaysian Journalism Awards.
"Doing so is crucial to position MPI as a comprehensive training platform with a focus on talent development to remain relevant to all stakeholders," he added. - BERNAMA
