Cathay Pacific's incoming CEO Ivan Chu faces important strategic decisions, some urgent

After nearly three years of undistinguished growth, Cathay Pacific's incoming CEO Ivan Chu will have an opportunity - and probably be forced - to plan the carrier's future in an environment that is becoming more competitive than ever. Cathay has lagged on major strategic decisions, adopting a style that was very effective in the past, but less appropriate to a dynamically changing environment. This challenge must now be faced by Mr Chu.

Greater and more clearly defined partnerships, a low-cost strategy, and the future of freight and fleet planning are some of the topics facing Mr Chu, whose appointment was announced on the evening of Friday 16-Aug-2013. This was part of a shuffle that sees current CEO John Slosar moving to the chairman position at Cathay and other Swire companies.

Mr Slosar will have held the reins at Cathay for only three years. Mr Chu, after working his way up through a distinguished career in the airline meanwhile becomes only the carrier's second Chinese CEO in its nearly 70-year history. He is currently COO of the airline, which has become a standard stepping stone to the top job in Cathay's structured succession process.