Emirates vice-president, corporate communications, product, publishing, digital & events Patrick Brannelly has accepted the invitation of the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) board to remain as president of the association for another term, and has issued a call to members to vote for the 2010/2011 directors.
"In an effort to maintain the continuity and impetus we've created this year, I have accepted the board's invitation to remain as president for another term," says Brannelly in the WAEA's dedicated WIN newsletter.
The WAEA is in the process of rebranding as the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX).
In addition to Brannelly, other returning executive directors include TAM marketing director Manoela Amaro as vice-president and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Non-Theatrical senior vice-president Linda Palmer as treasurer. Past president, Swiss International Air Lines in-flight entertainment system engineer and project manager Christine Ringger, will fill out her term.
Because three board members are mid-term of two-year positions, the WAEA/APEX needs to fill only four positions this year, says Brannelly. He notes: "Most of the retiring members of the current board are standing for re-election, and there are a few new faces joining the slate - all have considerable industry experience. This level of participation reflects well on the health of the association."
The new candidates seeking a director-airline position are Gulf Air manager in-flight and cabin services Mohamad El Assaad, Korean Air general manager Jong Bong Han and Cathay Pacific product manager, in-flight communication and entertainment Christine Zhu.
Candidates seeking a director-vendor position are Pace Communications managing director, business development Daniel Callahan; Thales Avionics marketing director, in-flight systems Ken Codrington; and Airbus Operations vice-president, cabin design office Jonathan Norris.
A 64% majority of WAEA members recently approved the name change to APEX to broaden the group's scope and reflect the role it plays in delivering the passenger experience for the world's commercial airlines.
"We are currently in a crucial period of transition as we broaden the scope of the association to keep up with the rapid changes in our industry. It's therefore vital that our board of directors is a strong and dynamic group that has the skill set to lead us in the right direction. We are committed to building on the strengths of the past and grasping current and future opportunities for the benefit of the membership," says Brannelly in WIN.
Voting for WAEA/APEX members begins tomorrow and remains open until 30 July.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
