Izwan Ismail named new PetChem CEO and managing director

Petronas Chemicals Group has appointed Izwan Ismail as its new managing director and CEO, effective January 1, 2027. PetChem disclosed the appointment in a filing with Bursa Malaysia, noting that the decision was approved at a special meeting. At the same time, PetChem's board of directors acknowledged the resignation of Mazuin Ismail, who will step down from his role as managing director and CEO on the same date following his retirement from the Petronas group.

Izwan Ismail, who will take over the leadership position at the age of 51, boasts an extensive background spanning 29 years in finance, corporate planning, strategy, commercial management, operations, and technology. He assumes the role following his tenure as vice-president, group technology and commercialization at Petronas Nasional Bhd, where he has been instrumental in transitioning the company's artificial intelligence and digital ecosystem, as well as its research and development initiatives.

Currently, Izwan serves as the director of Petronas Gas Bhd and various subsidiaries within the Petronas Group. His professional journey began in 1997 with Arthur Andersen in Sydney, Australia, before he joined Petronas in 2000, where he held key positions in corporate finance, group accounts, and group treasury at MISC Bhd. Izwan holds a Bachelor of Commerce with double majors in Accounting and Information Systems from the University of New South Wales, as well as a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in the United States.

He is a fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand and a member of both the Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Malaysian Institute of Accountants.