People
April 27th 2015
THAI legend, Chatrachai Bunya-ananta, dies at 82
One of Thailand’s most eminent aviation and tourism pioneers, Khun Chatrachai Bunya-ananta, the first civilian to become president of Thai Airways International (THAI), passed away on April 18 at the age of 82 after suffering from a blood infection. Read More »
Khun Chatrachai was one of a core team of THAI executives who put the Thai tourism industry and the national airline on the global map in the 1980s. He promoted Bangkok as the aviation hub of Asia, after long-haul, widebody jets gave Bangkok the competitive advantage of becoming the first point in Southeast Asia to be reached non-stop and fully-loaded from Europe. By the time Khun Chatrachai retired in 1992, THAI was among seven Asia-Pacific carriers in the top 10 most profitable airlines in the world. When he was head of the carrier’s marketing department, Khun Chatrachai developed the globally recognised "Smooth as silk" slogan for the airline and drove a strategy the included the THAI logo, purple orchids, traditional Thai uniforms on departure, modern attire on arrival and great Danish pastries that made THAI famous as one of the best carriers for service in the world.
Industry veteran Peter Hill to run Fiji Airways
Fiji Airlines will soon announce that Peter Hill, who is an advisor to SriLankan Airlines, will succeed Stefan Pichler as CEO of Fiji Airways. Hill was CEO of SriLankan Airlines for eight years, but was removed in 2007 when he refused to allow an entourage of the country’s president replace paying passengers on a SriLankan flight. He moved to Oman Air as CEO and remained with the carrier until retiring in 2011. He was asked to return SriLankan as an advisor soon after leaving Oman. SriLankan Airways chairman, Ajith Dias, told local media Hill was resigning from the Colombo-headquartered carrier because he had been offered the Fiji Airways job.
Discredited CEO departs South African Airways
In an arbitrated decision, Monwabisi Kalawe, the suspended CEO of South African Airways (SAA), has agreed to leave the airline, with immediate effect, in exchange for a package that includes six months of salary and paid leave. Appointed SAA CEO in April 2013, Kalawe was suspended for misconduct last year.
Rolls-Royce names new CEO
Rolls-Royce has named Warren East, the former ARM Holdings chief, as its new CEO to replace John Rishton, who will retire on July 2. Rishton has been CEO for nearly four years and was previously CFO for a decade.
Rolls-Royce chairman, Ian Davis, said that during Rishton’s tenure, “profits have increased by 69%, the order book has grown by 24% and the share price has risen 63%.”
