Kingfisher Airlines has appointed Siva Ramachandran to the role of vice-president global sales, based in the Indian carrier's Mumbai hub. Ramachandran, who has a 32 years of industry experience, started with Singapore Airlines and later worked for SriLankan and Qatar Airways.
Finnair has expanded the role of Christer Haglund with his appointment as group senior vice-president for public affairs and corporate communications and member of Finnair Plc's executive board. His responsibilities will cover environmental issues as well as investor relations.
JetBlue Airways has appointed Joseph Eng to the new position of executive vice-president of systems and technology. He was previously president of IT company Spectrum Systems.
Veteran industry consultant Doug Abbey has joined Seabury Group as a senior vice-president. Abbey, who before becoming a consultant for AvStat Associates and later the Velocity Group, worked for Fokker Aircraft and the US DoT. He has expertise in regional aviation and US route-development strategy.
Mongolia's Eznis Airways has appointed Glenn Pickard as chief executive. He was previously chief executive of Canada's Regional 1.
SkyWest subsidiary Atlantic Southeast Airlines has made Terry Vais, previously SkyWest's hub director at Los Angeles, vice-president of customer care. Vais replaces Lisa Walker, who has been named vice-president of ASA's new operational support division.
Taleghani takes Sterling role
Danish low-fare carrier Sterling Airlines has appointed former JPMorgan executive Reza Taleghani as its new president and chief executive, replacing Almar Orn Hilmarsson.
Taleghani has spent the last 10 years with JPMorgan in New York and London, focusing on the airline sector. He has worked with several airlines on strategic matters, initial public offerings, financing and other initiatives.
Following a brief transition period from JPMorgan, Taleghani will relocate to Copenhagen. Hilmarsson, who has led Sterling since its acquisition by Iceland's FL Group in late 2005, will then resign. Hilmarsson says: "I have been a part of bringing two companies [Maersk Air and Sterling] together and ensuring operational stability. I leave the table where I am satisfied with my role and hand over the responsibility to lead the future growth to Reza." Sterling bought Danish rival Maersk Air in mid-2005.
In another management move, Sterling's chief operating officer John Robertson is retiring with Christian Gormsen being recruited to take over. Gormsen arrives from GN ReSound, the global hearing instrument company, where he was senior vice-president group solutions.
PIA appoints new leader
A top management shake-up has taken place at state-owned Pakistan International Airlines, where the roles of chairman and managing director have now been split.
Aslam Khan was appointed managing director in March, taking over from Zaffar Khan who had held the position since last April. Pakistan's defence secretary, Kamran Rasool, was appointed chairman.
The changes came soon after national elections that were held in Pakistan, although there was some surprise that the appointments were made before the new government took office.
Zaffar Khan had been both chairman and managing director of PIA since he joined the airline last year. Local media reports quoted him as saying he did not object to the roles being separated but he declined to stay on as chairman as a result of differences over who would be appointed managing director to work alongside him.
New managing director Aslam Khan had worked for PIA in the past, at one point as deputy managing director for marketing, says the airline. He was also managing director of PIA Investments for 14 years. He started his career with Lufthansa.
Gadek heads for Sun country
AirTran Airways chief financial officer Stan Gadek has become chief executive of Sun Country, the Minnesota-based low-fare carrier which operates a fleet of 15 Boeing 737-800s to US, Mexican and Caribbean destinations. Gadek had been with AirTran since 2000.
The head of Sun Country majority shareholder Petters Aviation president Jay Salmen says: "In this difficult industry Stan's extensive experience in M&A, debt and equity financing will be of significant value to Sun Country." Salmen acted as the interim chief executive of Sun Country following the departure of Shaun Nugent in April 2007.
"Stan brings us extensive airline experience with a low-cost carrier and a disciplined leadership style which will be key to executing on our plan," said Sun Country chairman Tom Petters.
Leaving Frontier
There are further top level changes at US low-fare carrier Frontier Airlines with the departure of chief financial officer Paul Tate. Earlier this year senior vice-president marketing John Happ also left the company, while vice-president and general counsel David Sislowski has accepted a similar role at senior vice-president level at Midwest Air Group.
Tate, who joined Frontier in October 2001, has gone to Air Methods, a large Denver-based provider of emergency air medical transport. "Paul has been the guardian of our finances for almost seven years now, and he has guided us through what have arguably been some of our toughest financial times," says new Frontier head Sean Menke.
While it is searching for a new chief financial officer, Frontier has promoted three members of its finance department: Ted Christie becomes senior vice-president finance, Elissa Potucek fills the newly-created role of vice-president treasury and budget, and Heather Iden becomes vice-president and controller.
Source: Airline Business
