KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) has announced the appointment of Ainol Amriz Ismail as its new chief executive officer effective next month.
MPI president Datuk Yong Soo Heong said Ainol's appointment was agreed upon by the institution's administrative council following an interview that assessed Ainol's experience and expertise in media, communication and industry instruction.
"Ainol will replace Datuk Mustapa Omar, who will conclude his service contract on Sept 30 to focus on other fields," Yong said in a statement.
"MPI expresses its deepest appreciation to Mustapa for his excellent service, particularly in transforming MPI into a more dynamic and transparent organisation."
Yong added that Ainol's fresh approach and deep knowledge of new journalism, particularly in social media, will ensure MPI remains relevant as the leading training provider in the ever-changing media landscape.
Ainol said his focus was to enhance training programmes to meet current needs and increase participation in the Malaysian Journalism Awards.
"This is important to position MPI as a comprehensive training platform with a focus on talent development, ensuring its relevance to all parties," he said.
"With the trust of all parties, including media practitioners, industry players and academia in MPI, along with continuous efforts and strong commitment from the management, we are confident that MPI will continue to excel on the platform of excellence."
Ainol holds a Master of Social Science (Communication Management) degree from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and is pursuing a PhD at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Malaya.
He has over 30 years of experience in journalism, media and communication, having served as editorial department manager at Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd (UMMB) and executive director of Sibermedia Sdn Bhd Executive Director, a subsidiary of UMMB and a training provider company.
He is also a certified trainer with the Human Resources Development Corporation, an agency under the Human Resources Ministry, since 2018, and has been actively teaching nationwide in the areas of media, communication and digital content.
Additionally, he serves as a panel member for the Review of Programme Standards: Media and Communication Studies at the Malaysian Qualifications Agency for the 2023-2025 term.