Going Places – industry appointment highlights for Apr-2021

The travel, tourism and aviation industries in the across the globe witness policy and upper level changes on a daily basis. It is important to not only keep tabs of these organisations direction, but to also monitor changes in executive branches to see the wider picture of the travel market. CTC - Corporate Travel Community aims to keep you informed of these movements each month, with a full wrap of the key changes across regional markets, while also featuring key appointments announced for the month.

Here are the key executive changes for Apr-2021:

Americas

• Air Inuit promoted EVP and COO Christian Busch to the role of president and CEO. The promotion was effective 01-Apr-2021.
• American Airlines promoted Louis de Joux to MD of leisure and group sales and president of American Airlines Vacations.
• JetBlue Airways appointed Carol Clements as chief digital & technology officer, effective 26-Apr-2021.
• Air Caraibes announced the passing of interim CEO Olivier Besnard on 13-Apr-2021.
• Abaete Taxi Aereo appointed Hector Hamada as CEO in Apr-2021.
• Avianca appointed Rohit Philip as CFO, commencing 19-Apr-2021.
• Surinam Airways appointed Paul de Haan as CEO, effective immediately.
• Avianca Holdings appointed Adrian Neuhauser as Avianca president and CEO.
• LATAM Airlines Group appointed Ignacio Cueto Plaza as chairman and Enrique Cueto Plaza as VP.
• Flybondi appointed Mauricio Sana as CEO on a permanent basis.

Asia Pacific

• China Southern Airlines announced the appointment of Yao Yong as executive VP, chief accountant and CFO.
• Skymark Airlines announced the appointment of Reijiro Yamamoto as chairman, succeeding Nobuo Sayama, effective 20-Apr-2021.

Europe, Middle East & Africa

• Kuwait Airways announced the resignation of CEO Adel Al Sanea. The airline's board of directors appointed deputy CEO operations Eissa Al Haddad as interim CEO.
• South African Airways' (SAA) interim board appointed Thomas Kgokolo as interim CEO, effective 13-Apr-2021.
• Turkish Airlines appointed SVP flight training Baran Gülbaran as chief flight operations officer.
• SAS appointed Anko Van der Werff as president and CEO. Mr Van der Werff will commence in the role by 15-Jul-2021 and SAS appointed chief commercial officer Karl Sandlund to serve as acting president and CEO in the meantime, replacing Rickard Gustafson.
• Cargolux appointed Christianne Wickler as chairman of the board of directors.