Integrity-driven leadership is forged in the space between enforcement and enterprise, between rules and realities. This philosophy characterizes Nurirdzuana Ismail, the head of integrity and governance at MAXIS, the leading integrated telco in Malaysia. She is an experienced enforcement professional who has also worked for global corporations of great complexity.
Starting at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), she witnessed the lack of control and the institutionalisation of misconduct leading to failure, which informed her view that prevention should always be prioritised over prosecution.
Her transition to the corporate world, including a significant stint at PETRONAS honed her skills in integrating governance in massive multinational entities and integrating ethics with performance.
At MAXIS, she has redefined integrity as a culture, enhancing third-party governance, enforcing zero tolerance for bribery, and institutionalizing accountability through ISO 37001:2025 Anti-Bribery Management System (ABMS), AI-powered analytics, and oversight. Similarly, she has humanized compliance through advocacy, education and approachability, fostering trust, promoting whistleblowing and facilitating ethical judgment.
CEOInsights Asia magazine recognized Nurirdzuana as the Top Chief Compliance Officer of the Year in Malaysia 2026. In conversation with CEOInsights, Nurirdzuana shares her pragmatic yet human approach to developing integrity and beyond.
How did your enforcement experience shape your belief that prevention is more effective than prosecution?
My time at the MACC grounded me in the realities of enforcement, where I witnessed how weak controls, cultural blind spots, and rationalized misconduct can escalate into systemic failures. I learnt that prevention must always be stronger than prosecution. I felt a responsibility to bridge the gap between enforcement and the business community.
This realization led me to move into the corporate sector. At PETRONAS, Malaysia’s national oil company, I learned to embed governance across complex global operations and balance perception, reality, and business objectives.
Integrity is not about rules, it is about behavior when no one is watching. When culture, leadership, technology, and humanity align, integrity becomes sustainable
How do you ensure that integrity initiatives support business performance?
When I introduced vendor integrity programs, I began engaging third parties directly to transform business conduct. I learned that compliance should never be seen as a burden, since the cost of non-compliance is far greater.
This phase of my journey also taught me how to balance regulatory rigor with business agility, reinforcing my belief that integrity must enable performance rather than hinder it.
At MAXIS, I integrated enforcement insight with business practicality, applying lessons learned across sectors. I have learnt that integrity must be intentional, measurable, and championed at the leadership level to be sustainable.
This is reflected in MAXIS maintaining ISO 37001 certification to ISO 37001:2025 Anti-Bribery Management System certification, including the upgraded 2025 version.
What makes third-party governance of critical integrity challenges in the telecom sector?
The telecom sector operates at the intersection of technology, regulation, and mass consumer trust, with a major risk stemming from its heavy reliance on third parties such as vendors, distributors, agents, dealers, and daily sales partners.
Since 2020, Malaysia’s Corporate Liability Provision under Section 17A of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 has made companies and their controllers liable for corrupt acts committed by third parties on their behalf, requiring the implementation of adequate procedures.
Given the competitive nature of the telco industry and MAXIS’ expanded role as a telecom, integrated solution provider and green technology champion, exposure to these risks is significant.
As a result, MAXIS enforces zero tolerance for corruption and bribery, supported by extensive third-party engagement through awareness programs, integrity acknowledgements embedded in systems, due diligence during onboarding, mandatory training, audits, mystery shopping, and a strict no-gift policy unless explicitly guided.
How do you embed a culture of integrity across employees, third parties, and leadership?
Third parties carry the MAXIS brand and serve as its ambassadors, making it essential that they uphold the organization’s integrity culture. I conduct direct training sessions, both physical and virtual, to close gaps, encourage transparency, and ensure awareness of ethics reporting channels. Integrity extends beyond compliance through mandatory annual scenario-based training.
My role spans employees, third parties, senior management, and the board, with quarterly reviews under the MAXIS Integrity and Compliance Framework. Annual integrity surveys, companywide and board-level integrity pledges reinforce commitment.
How do AI analytics and strong data governance strengthen ethical risk management?
We leverage data-driven analytics in collaboration with key internal functions to monitor transactions, trends, and areas of potential exposure. This approach helps surface patterns, strengthen controls, and enhance process efficiency while reducing reliance on manual reviews.
Increased automation also limits unnecessary human intervention, thereby lowering the risk of inappropriate influence or manipulation.
Rapid digital transformation and data privacy exposure remain critical risks. With millions of subscribers, safeguarding data integrity is paramount through close collaboration with relevant teams, joint awareness programs, regulatory compliance across evolving frameworks, and encouraging ISO certifications.
How has externalizing the ethics hotline and humanizing compliance strengthened your integrity culture?
We transitioned our ethics hotline to an externally managed platform to build trust, as internal management had previously discouraged reporting; following the engagement of an external provider, we began receiving higher-quality reports, signalling a clear cultural shift within MAXIS. We also conduct sustained advocacy through MICAP (Maxis Integrity Corporate Advocacy Programme), aligned annually.
I also integrate risk-based internal reviews, AI analytics, third-party due diligence tracking, incident analysis, and integrity culture surveys, as integrity must be measurable to be strengthened. Beyond controls, we humanize compliance through engagement, dialogue, and inclusive initiatives.
What is your future roadmap—professionally and personally?
Personally, I dream of opening a small café with books, a space for conversation and idea exchange. Professionally, I continue integrating ESG, climate change theories, and AI into compliance frameworks to detect, prevent, and respond to corruption effectively.
Nurirdzuana Ismail, Head of Integrity & Governance, MAXIS
Nurirdzuana Ismail is currently the Head of Integrity and Governance at MAXIS, with extensive experience gained from her enforcement and corporate background. Starting her career with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, she quickly gained a strong conviction that prevention is more effective than prosecution.
Her move to the corporate world, including her tenure with PETRONAS has given her extensive experience in delivering effective corporate governance within a multinational environment.
Favorite Hobbies: I have a deep appreciation for reading, travel, and the culinary arts, with a particular fondness for Malaysian, Japanese, and French cuisines. Classical music holds a special place in my life, and I enjoy playing musical instruments as a personal passion. I am often drawn to cultural cities such as Vienna, Salzburg, Berlin and Paris to experience orchestral performances.
Favourite travel destinations: New Zealand is my second home. I spent my formative years there, and its culture of humility, transparency, and equality shaped my worldview. The integrity culture there left a lasting impact on me.
Awards & Recognition: I am honored to serve as an international jury member for the ALESprize Anti -Corruption Award. I am the only jury member from Malaysia, alongside distinguished global leaders in integrity and compliance.