Air France-KLM chairman and deputy to quit airline
Air France-KLM chairman and chief executive Jean-Cyril Spinetta and his deputy Leo Van Wijk have announced they are to step down on July 1.
Spinetta will be replaced by Alexandre de Juniac who will take over as chairman and CEO of Air France-KLM from July 1. Frederic Gagey has been appointed chairman and chief executive of Air France, also from July 1.
Peter Hartman will succeed Van Wijk as vice Chairman of the Board at the same time.
In a statement released after the airlines’ board meeting yesterday, Spinetta and Van Wijk said: "When we were asked by the Board of Directors to assume our current executive positions in October 2011, we had a twofold objective. This was to put Air France-KLM back on the road to recovery by cutting costs and reducing debt, as well as to set up a new, more integrated organization of all the Group’s strategic functions.
"The Transform 2015 recovery plan, simultaneously launched last year at Air France and KLM, is now bearing fruit thanks to the agreements which have been signed by both airlines with the representative trade unions and works councils. The Group net debt decreased in 2012. The new governance of the Air France-KLM Group will be up and running as of July this year.
"Under these circumstances, we believe the timing is right for the new management team to take over in order to ensure the continuity of the Group’s economic and financial recovery and the implementation of its new governance. We would like to take this opportunity to both congratulate and thank our people for their clear-sighted and responsible approach to the Group’s recovery plan which could not have been launched otherwise and which will be vital to pursue."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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