Going Places – industry appointment highlights for Oct-2020

5 November, 2020

The travel, tourism and aviation industries 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 Oct-2020:

Asia Pacific appointment highlights…

  • Regional Express (Rex) appointed Ben Worsley as media, investor and government relations director.
  • Qantas appointed Michael Ross as chief technology officer in Jul-2020.
  • Air New Zealand appointed Leanne Geraghty to the newly created position of chief customer and sales officer.
  • Air New Zealand stated CFO Jeff McDowall intends to leave the carrier "towards the middle of 2021 after the completion of the planned capital raise".
  • AirAsia X appointed Lim Kian Onn as deputy chairman to lead the carrier's planned restructuring.
  • Virgin Australia advised that Paul Scurrah will step down as CEO and MD at financial close of the sale transaction to Bain Capital. Bain Capital intends to appoint Jayne Hrdlicka as CEO once the transaction is complete in early Nov-2020.
  • China Southern Airlines announced its board approved the resignation of executive VP, chief accountant and CFO Xiao Li Xin, due to work redeployment.
  • Nok Air announced the resignation of Raj Tanta-Nanta as chief accountant, effective 22-Oct-2020.
  • India's Government reportedly appointed Aloke Singh as Air India Express CEO for a three year term.
  • Air India appointed Harpreet A De Singh as Alliance Air CEO.
  • Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) appointed Jawad Zafar as COO.

Europe, Middle East and Africa appointment highlights…

  • Iberia ratified the appointment of Carlos Gómez as chairman and CEO of Iberia Express.
  • TUI Group announced plans to adjust its management board, effective from 01-Jan-2021. Details include:
    • Sebastian Ebel: Appointed CFO. Current CFO Birgit Conix will leave TUI at the end of 2020;
    • Peter Krüger: Appointed executive board member responsible for airlines, cruise business, hotel JVs and M&A;
    • Erik Friemuth: In addition to duties as CMO, will take over responsibility for TUI Hotels & Resorts brands and group responsibility for sales and customer operations;
    • David Schelp: Appointed CEO of the growth segment TUI Musement.
  • Austrian Airlines supervisory board reappointed Alexis von Hoensbroech as CEO for a further five years until 2026.
  • IAG announced the following changes to its senior management team, effective immediately:
    • British Airways CEO and chairman Alex Cruz to step down as CEO and remain as non executive chairman. Aer Lingus CEO Sean Doyle was appointed as British Airways CEO and will take over as chairman following a transition period;
    • LEVEL CEO Fernando Candela joined the group's management committee in the new role of chief transformation officer;
    • Aer Lingus chief corporate affairs officer Donal Moriarty will become interim CEO. A permanent appointment will be announced in due course."
  • easyJet stated Kenton Jarvis will join the airline as CFO and a board member from 03-Feb-2021.
  • El Al announced the resignation of chairman Yehuda Levy and directors Shlomo Hanael, Tamar Mozes Borovitz and Kimerling Sofia, effective 19-Oct-2020.
  • Africa World Airlines chief operations officer Sean Mendis plans to leave the airline when his two year contract expires in Nov-2020. Mr Mendis will be succeeded by Kwasi Oteng.
  • El Al appointed David Brodet as chairman, effective 20-Oct-2020.
  • Air Namibia chief human resources officer Elia Erastus resigned, effective 30-Nov-2020.
  • Saudia announced the appointment of Ibrahim bin Abdulrahman Al-Omar as director general, effective 24-Oct-2020.
  • Tunisia's Ministry of Transport and Logistics announced the appointment of Wassef Ayadi as CEO of Tunisair.
  • Virgin Atlantic appointed Siobhan Fitzpatrick as new chief digital and marketing officer, effective Aug-2020.
  • TAP Air Portugal announced the appointment of Miguel Jorge Frasquilho TAP's president of the board.
  • El Al chairman David Brodet and CEO Gonen Usishken reached an agreement on the termination of Mr Usishkin's term as CEO in Jan-2021.

Americas appointment highlights…

  • LATAM Airlines Group announced Rafael Walker, the current director of airports at LATAM Airlines Brasil, will move into global position of director of customer care at LATAM Airlines Group. Mauro Peneda, current senior manager of airport business and infrastructure at LATAM Airlines Group, will move to the role of director of airports at LATAM Airlines Brasil.
  • Air Canada announced president and CEO Calin Rovinescu will retire from his position on 15-Feb-2021, whereupon he will be succeeded by deputy CEO and CFO Michael Rousseau.
  • SkyWest Airlines announced the retirement of COO Mike Thompson, effective immediately. The following executive changes were also announced:
    • VP of airport operations Greg Wooley appointed as EVP for operations;
    • Lori Hunt to be appointed as VP of airport operations;
    • Sonya Wolford to be appointed as SVP of inflight;
    • Tracy Gallo to be appointed as SVP of flight operations;
    • Bill Dykes to be appointed SVP of maintenance.
  • Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian announced EVP and CFO Paul Jacobson will retire from the airline, effective 15-Nov-2020.
  • Flair Airlines announced the appointment of Stephen Jones as president and CEO, to replace outgoing president and CEO Jim Scott.