Anti-Corruption Bureau,
Brunei Darussalam
Mr Syed Azmal bin Syed Ali was appointed Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Brunei Darussalam in June 2026. Established in 1982, the ACB is Brunei Darussalam's specialised agency for combating corruption.
Mr Syed Azmal graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from Staffordshire University, United Kingdom in 2000. In 2001, he completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice at the Bar at Manchester Metropolitan University and qualified as a Barrister-at-Law of Lincoln's Inn. He later obtained a Diploma in Islamic Law and Legal Practice from Universiti Brunei Darussalam in 2007.
In 2002 he was appointed as Counsel and Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Attorney General's Chambers, Brunei Darussalam. In 2009, he joined the Brunei National Petroleum Company Sdn Bhd as a Senior Legal Officer and was later appointed Corporate Legal Manager. He was subsequently appointed Co-Head of Legal (Contracts & Compliance) of the Energy and Industry Department, Prime Minister's Office in 2017, and later as Head of Legal in the Petroleum Authority of Brunei Darussalam in 2019.
He was then appointed as Deputy Director of ACB in 2022, with responsibilities spanning the Bureau's investigation, intelligence, operations and prevention functions, before his appointment as Director. With a career spanning over 24 years across criminal law, the upstream petroleum sector, project management and law enforcement, he brings to the Bureau a combination of prosecutorial, regulatory and corporate legal experience in support of its anti-corruption mandate. Mr Syed Azmal regards integrity as a shared national responsibility across all sectors. Drawing on his experience as a prosecutor and in the energy sector, he places emphasis on investigations that are rigorous and impartial, while working with public institutions, industry and the wider community to strengthen corporate integrity, good governance and effective preventive measures. In support of the aspirations of Wawasan Brunei 2035, he seeks to promote a culture of integrity in which prevention, education and enforcement work together.
As a Member of the IAACA Executive Committee, Mr Syed Azmal seeks to contribute to the global fight against corruption through practical cooperation and innovation.