2012 Airline Business chief executive interviews

John Slosar

Cathay Pacific

When John Slosar took over from Tony Tyler as Cathay Pacific’s chief executive in April 2011, the airline had tripled its full-year net profit to HK$14.1 billion ($1.8 billion).

Steve Ridgway

Virgin Atlantic

Steve Ridgway has faithfully ridden shotgun for his flamboyant boss Sir Richard Branson during much of the three decades that Virgin Atlantic has waged war with arch rival British Airways, and shaped Virgin into a formidable long-haul competitor.

Siza Mzimela

South African Airways

Mzimela, who took the reins at SAA in 2010 after a seven-year stint at state-owned regional carrier SA Express, is the first to admit SAA’s “geographical location at the end of the hemisphere” is one of its “unique challenges”.

Gregg Saretsky

WestJet

At Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet’s offices near the Calgary International airport, airline staff work while facing floor-to-ceiling glass windows encasing the light-filled building.

Tony Tyler

IATA

Having succeeded long-time IATA DG Giovanni Bisignani at the fractious 2011 IATA AGM in Singapore, Tyler admits he failed in one of his key objectives in his first year.

Keith Williams

British Airways

Keith Williams hopes British Airways will bask in the Olympics' reflected glory as their official carrier, but faces his own marathon to integrate loss-making BMI.

Olga Pleshakova

Transaero

Olga Pleshakova has put widebody aircraft at the heart of Transaero's rapid growth during the past five years, and she has even bigger ambitions for the future.

Ben Baldanza

Spirit Airlines

Unapologetic and unwavering in his adherence to the ultra-low-cost carrier model, Spirit Airlines chief executive Ben Baldanza puts delivering profit at the heart of a strategy that is generating returns and strong growth.

Carolyn McCall

EasyJet

Carolyn McCall has had to tackle an operational crisis and a disgruntled shareholder while subtly repositioning EasyJet for new growth opportunities.

Titus Naikuni

Kenya Airways

Having put African connectivity at the heart of Kenya Airways strategic foundations, chief executive Titus Naikuni is now plotting an ambitious expansion with new long-haul aircraft and Asia firmly in the airline's sights.

Lance Gokongwei

Cebu Pacific

Having built low cost airline Cebu-pacific from scratch into the market leader in the Philippines, Lance Gokongwei is facing up to growing competition across the network.

Doug Parker

US Airways

US Airways chief executive Doug Parker's candid assessment of its own strengths and weaknesses has helped the airline carve out a profitable role in North America's evolving airline landscape.

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