Asia Pacific appointment highlights – May-2020

12 June, 2020

The travel, tourism and aviation industries in the ASPAC region 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. The Blue Swan Daily will keep you informed of these movements each month, with a full wrap of the key changes in the ASPAC market, while also looking forward to key appointments announced for the month.

Here are the key executive changes for May-2020:

  • Air Vanuatu announced its shareholders appointed the individuals to the board of directors on 08-May-2020:
    • Sam Firi as chairman of the board;
    • Andrew Bal as vice chairman.
  • Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran reduced the airline's executive team from nine to six people, as the airline adapts to a much smaller scale due to coronavirus. Mr Foran said the portfolios of the three departing executives will be absorbed by the remaining members of the executive team. Details include:
    • Chief strategy networks and alliances officer Nick Judd will depart the airline on 31-May-2020;
    • Chief air operations and people safety officer John Whittaker will depart on 31-Jul-2020;
    • Chief marketing and customer officer Mike Tod will step away from the airline full time on 31-May-2020 and provide advisory support to the CEO and board during the business transformation phase.
  • Air Vanuatu announced CEO Derek Nice decided not to renew his contract when it expires on 25-Jun-2020. Former CEO Joseph Laloyer will take over as acting CEO while the board finalises recruitment of a new CEO.
  • Malaysia's Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin appointed Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin as chairman of Malaysia Airlines. Mr Zulkiflee will assume the position from 01-Jul-2020.
  • Aekyung Group reportedly appointed Lee Bae Kim as JEJU air CEO, effective immediately.
  • Nok Air appointed Raj Tanta-Nanta as acting chief of accounting on 05-May-2020.