IATA Board recommends Cathay CEO Tony Tyler as next IATA DG and CEO
IATA announced (03-Dec-2010) that its Board of Governors has selected Tony Tyler, CEO of Cathay Pacific, in a unanimous decision to fill the post of IATA Director General and CEO following the retirement of the current Director General and CEO, Giovanni Bisignani, next year. The Board will recommend Mr Tyler's appointment to IATA's AGM planned for 6-8-Jun-2011. Mr Tyler's duties as the Association's head are scheduled to commence on 01-Jul-2011. Mr Bisignani is the fifth IATA Director General and CEO since its founding in 1945. Cathay Pacific separately announced (03-Dec-2010) that Mr Tyler will leave the airline on 31-Mar-2011 to take up the new position. Mr Tyler will be succeeded by COO John Slosar. A successor to Mr Slosar will be announced in due course. Mr Tyler joined Cathay Pacific in 1978 and became COO in 2005 before succeeding Philip Chen as CEO. [more - IATA] [more - Cathay] [more - Cathay Stock Exchange Filing]
IATA: "The IATA Board agreed to recommend Tony Tyler as the next Director General and CEO of IATA. Tony's leadership of Cathay Pacific through challenging times prepares him well for the job. His knowledge of Asia will help IATA take advantage of opportunities in the industry's largest market. And his global experience gives Tony the right perspective for our global association. Since taking the helm of IATA in 2002, Giovanni rebuilt the association, restored its relevance and set a very high benchmark for its leadership. Finding a successor was a challenging task for the Board's search committee. We are absolutely confident that Tony is the right person to take the association to even greater heights," David Bronczek, CEO of FedEx Express and Chairman of the IATA Board of Governors.
Cathay Pacific: "I am excited at the prospect of leading IATA and fully mindful of the responsibility that this important position bears. Giovanni has made IATA's role critical to the industry by successfully managing IATA's USD300 billion financial systems while delivering important industry-wide changes. These include making IATA a quality association with the IATA Operational Safety Audit, delivering 100% e-ticketing with the Simplifying the Business initiative and IATA's leadership on climate change. I look forward to the opportunity to build on this solid foundation. Aviation is a dynamic industry. We constantly have to adapt to changing market conditions, new business models, different traffic patterns and frequent crises. I am fully prepared to lead future changes to help all participants in this great industry be even more successful," Tony Tyler, CEO. Source: IATA Statement, 03-Dec-2010.
IATA: "Tony is a great recommendation to lead IATA. His deep knowledge of Asia will help position IATA to deliver even greater leadership in this important region. But I am also confident that the global respect gained during his successful tenure as IATA Chairman in 2009-10 positions him well to fulfill IATA's mission to represent, lead and serve equally all of our 230 members. After nearly 10 years of crises, challenges and change, I will look forward with confidence to handing over the reins of IATA's leadership to Tony in July. Until then, I remain fully committed to leading IATA as it strives to make the industry safer, greener and more profitable," Giovanni Bisignani, Director General. Source: Company Statement, 03-Dec-2010.