General Tan Sri Ismail Hassan (R) served as a Commissioned Officer in the Malaysian Army for 36 years. He held many key appointments at Field Command, Training Command and the Ministry of Defence levels before retiring as Chief of Army. Tan Sri Ismail graduated from the University Sains Malaysia with a Bachelor of Social Sciences Degree (Hons In Politics).  In the Military Professional Education, he graduated from Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, USA in 1975, later from Joint Services Staff College Canberra, Australia in 1982, and is also a graduate of the National Defense University, Washington, D.C. in 1987. Tan Sri Ismail was inducted into the University International Fellows Hall of Fame, in recognition of his outstanding achievement accorded to graduates who had achieved the highest rank/appointment in their respective service. In the corporate sector, he was first appointed as a Director and Chairman of Affin Securities Sdn Bhd,  a subsidiary of Affin Holdings Bhd in January 1988 till 2007.  He was also appointed a Director of Mitrajaya Holdings Berhad in August 2000 rising to the post of Chairman of the company on 26 November 2009.