DATO’ ISMAIL BIN KARIM was appointed as an Independent Non-Executive Director of the DIALOG Board on 24 November 2017. He is the current Chairman of the Nomination Committee (appointed on 21 September 2023). He is also a member of the Audit Committee, Risk Management Committee, Remuneration Committee and ESOS Committee.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts (History) with Honours and a Diploma in Education from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Dato’ Ismail served the Johor Civil Service for over 35 years prior to his retirement as Johor State Secretary in 2016.
Dato’ Ismail held various positions during his tenure in the Johor Civil Service. He started his career as an Assistant Land Revenue Collector at the Johor Bahru Land Office in 1982 and was promoted to several positions in the land offices in Johor until 1992. He went on to take up senior positions in the Segamat District Office, Johor Bahru City Council, Johor State Economic Planning Unit, Johor Bahru District Office, Johor State Secretary Office and Johor State Islamic Religious Department before taking on the role of Yang DiPertua (Head) of Kulai Municipal Council in 2006. Dato’ Ismail became the District Officer of Kota Tinggi in 2009 and was later promoted as Mayor of Johor Bahru in 2013 and Johor State Secretary in 2014.
Dato’ Ismail is an Independent Non-Executive Chairman of BCB Berhad, an Independent Non-Executive Director of Paragon Globe Berhad and a Trustee of Tunku Laksamana Johor Cancer Foundation and Johor Darul Ta’zim Foundation. He is also a director of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, President of the Johor State Football Association and Treasurer of Football Association of Malaysia.