Willie Walsh to retire, replaced by IB CEO
#1
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Willie Walsh to retire, replaced by IB CEO
#4
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Incidentally, interesting that they would pick the head of IB rather than that of BA as successor to the group CEO. On this thread, we often underestimate how strongly IB's financial and operational situation has improved in recent years (and all that without any major IT and operational system scandals and without as tensed employer-employee relations as the BA side) and the significant impact of those improved figures on the group's overall results.
Last edited by orbitmic; Jan 9, 2020 at 1:54 am
#5
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Just to put more than a bare link - to follow FT's policy in this area:
https://www.rte.ie/news/business/202...ceo-to-retire/
Aer Lingus owner International Airlines Group (IAG) has said that Willie Walsh has decided to retire as chief executive.
Mr Walsh will stand down from the role and from the board of IAG on March 26 this year and will retire on June 30.
IAG said that Luis Gallego, currently Iberia chief executive, will succeed Mr Walsh.
Mr Walsh will stand down from the role and from the board of IAG on March 26 this year and will retire on June 30.
IAG said that Luis Gallego, currently Iberia chief executive, will succeed Mr Walsh.
#6
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Look at his CV: Air Nostrum, Vueling, Iberia Express. Hardly from a premium background. Tbf he has turned a basket case into a profitable airline but definitely by following WW’s slasher mindset.
Unfortunately this is now modern aviation, I don’t think a publicly owned airline anywhere in the world can generate significant profits while delivering 1960’s soft product and 2020’s hard product, joe public (& increasingly most corporate travel budgets) just wont pay the premium.
Unfortunately this is now modern aviation, I don’t think a publicly owned airline anywhere in the world can generate significant profits while delivering 1960’s soft product and 2020’s hard product, joe public (& increasingly most corporate travel budgets) just wont pay the premium.
#7
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And just to also make the point that given BA's recent issues, there is absolutely no way that Cruz would have enjoyed the confidence of investors if he was to have taken up the role of Walsh's replacement.
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#14
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It is striking though that given the relative size of BA and IB, how many of the very top people come from the IB side. Are our managers really not up to the job? Is it the case of BA recruiting policies not getting the highest calibre of managers? It's curious.
Last edited by Worcester; Jan 9, 2020 at 4:24 am
#15
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BA's last British CEO was Bob Ayling who destroyed a lot of the good work done by Marshall and King. Ayling was a globalist in the Tony Blair mould, he dismantled the Landor brand in favour of the abstract world art of Project Utopia. Rod Eddington did a lot to fix this and he was Australian, Willie was of course Irish and Accenture Alex is Spanish. Perhaps a post Brexit BA might see a British CEO once Alex is enhanced elsewhere in the group?