ASPAC appointment highlights of the month – December 2018

13 January, 2019

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 last month.

Here are the key executive changes for December 2018:

  • JEJU air co CEO Ahn Yong-chan expressed his intention to resign from the company and retire, leaving co CEO Lee Seok-ju as sole CEO.
  • Canberra Airport appointed Michael Thomson as head of aviation, to join the airport's leadership team in 2019.
  • Sunshine Coast Airport appointed Andrew Brodie as CEO, effective 01-Jan-2019, succeeding Peter Pallot.
  • Virgin Australia Group appointed Sir Angus Martin as new independent non-executive director of the board. Mr Martin was previously Airservices Australia chairman from 2011 to 2018 and Australian Defence Force chief from 2005 to 2011.
  • StarLux Airlines said vice chairman Austin Cheng passed away on 07-Dec-2018. Spokesperson Nieh Kuo-wei said president Chai Chien-hua will take the lead and prepare system development.
  • Korea Airports Corporation appointed Son Chang-wan as president and CEO, effective 14-Dec-2018.
  • Hong Kong Airlines vice chairman Tang King-shing recently resigned while CFO Jacky Lui Jiaqi and chairman Zhang Kui have also resigned. According to the carrier's website, Hou Wei has been appointed chairman, Wang Liya as president, Zhan Xuewei and Wong Ching Ho as presidents while Liu Jiang remains CMO.
  • Thai Airways appointed Nattapong Samit-Ampaipisarn EVP finance and accounting, effective 01-Feb-2019.
  • Virgin Australia appointed Ray Gammell as non executive director as the nominated representative of Etihad Aviation Group, succeeding Robin Kamark effective 20-Dec-2018.
  • Malaysia Airports (MAHB) appointed Raja Azmi bin Raja Nazuddin as CEO, effective 04-Jan-2019.
  • Xiamen Airlines chairman and president Che Shanglun announced his retirement from Xiamen Airlines following the expiration of his term.