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Rob Gurney is oneworld’s new CEO
September 2nd 2016
On Wednesday, the oneworld airline alliance announced that industry veteran, Rob Gurney, will be its new CEO from October, succeeding Bruce Ashby. Read More » In January, Ashby announced he would be step down as CEO in the northern summer after more than five years in the job.
Gurney is senior vice-president of commercial operations for the Americas at Emirates Airline. He has been in the industry for 25 years and held managerial positions at British Airways and Qantas Airways.
He has substantial experience of airline alliances, with much of his 25-year career spent working with oneworld founding members British Airways and Qantas.
As oneworld CEO, Gurney will report to the alliance's governing board, the CEOs of the 14 member carriers, and lead the New York-based central alliance team.
Announcing the appointment, oneworld governing board chairman Ivan Chu, CEO of Cathay Pacific Airways, said: "Bruce Ashby leaves big shoes to fill and, in Rob Gurney, oneworld has appointed someone well able to do so. He takes on the role of oneworld CEO with a proven track record of successful leadership in key alliance and broader commercial roles in both the oneworld family and beyond.”
In June, oneworld rival, Star Alliance, announced a leadership change. CEO Mark Schwab will retire in January and will be succeeded by the alliance’s COO, Jeffrey Goh, Star’s first Asian leader.
