The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has confirmed that International Airlines Group CEO Willie Walsh has succeeded Andres Conesa, CEO of Aeromexico, as Chairman of the IATA Board of Governors and Alexandre de , Chairman and CEO of Air France-KLM is to succeed Tony Tyler as IATA’s Director General and CEO from September 1.

The announcements were fully expected, coming at the end of IATA’s recent 72nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Dublin, Ireland.

IATA said that Walsh has served on the IATA BoG continuously since 2005 and is now the 75th Chair of the IATA Board of Governors and the sixth to fulfil that function while representing BA or its predecessor airlines.

Walsh said: “I’m honoured to serve in this important role at such a critical time. Our top priority is getting governments’ agreement on a global market-based measure to manage aviation’s carbon emissions at the 39th Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization later this year.

RARE OPPORTUNITY
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity which is vital if our industry is to achieve carbon-neutral growth from 2020,” said Walsh, who added that governments too often limited the aviation industry’s ability to be a catalyst for economic growth and development.

He added: “Excessive taxes rob our industry of its vitality, while costly and ineffective infrastructure constrains our ability to support rising demand for connectivity. Regulation often comes with negative consequences for both passengers and airlines.

 

WALSH POINTS TO TEAMWORK…
“I look forward to supporting Alexandre de Juniac as he takes the reins at IATA. Together we will ensure that IATA has an even stronger voice of leadership on these issues.” said Walsh.

Meanwhile, the IATA Board has also appointed Goh Choon Phong, CEO at Singapore Airlines to serve as Board Chair-elect for a one-year term (as of the close of the 2016 AGM) and he will take office from June 2017 following Walsh’s term.

At the same time, Alexandre de Juniac acknowledged that he has ‘big shoes to fill’ as Tony Tyler’s successor after five years at the helm: “I know how challenging it is to run an airline and how much airlines depend on IATA to support their business – to safely process industry money, to deliver effective advocacy, to lead global initiatives and to provide relevant products and services.

“My aim is to help airlines to be even more successful businesses creating even greater economic and social value. I want all of our members to have a future that is even safer, more efficient, sustainable and increasingly profitable,” he said.