Putten comes in at SN Brussels
Belgian marketing executive Philippe Vander Putten has been named as the next chief executive of SN Brussels Airlines. He will take over from caretaker head Neil Burrows, who was appointed to begin the integration of sister carriers SN Brussels and Virgin Express in late 2005.
Putten will work alongside Burrows from mid-September in a transition period until January when he will take charge and Burrows will leave.
The 47-year-old Belgian arrives from the country's mobile phone operator Proximus where he was chairman, having been promoted in May 2005 after serving as chief executive for seven years. Before that he held senior posts at Kraft Foods in Europe and also served with L'Oreal.
Long-serving Virgin Express boss Burrows took the lead role at the carriers on a temporary basis for a year until their parent SN Airholding found a new chief executive.
Putten will lead the merged carriers in an expansion of their medium- and long-haul fleets and add service to more long-haul destinations. Their current networks will be also be altered to focus on the major economic centres of Europe. Employees of both carriers will be consolidated into one headquarters as soon as possible, and the two management teams will be merged into one.
Source: Airline Business
