Virgin Nigeria has a new chief executive after Simon Harford, who saw the carrier through its launch phase last year, left the airline, citing “personal reasons”.
Harford’s replacement is Conrad Clifford, a former commercial director at Virgin Atlantic, who joins from UK-based ground-handling group Menzies Aviation.
Virgin denied reports that Harford’s departure followed disagreements with the group’s senior management, saying that he had done a “fantastic job” in steering the carrier through its fund-raising stage, then on to operational launch and expansion. Harford had been Barbara Cassani’s right-hand man at UK low-cost carrier Go before it was acquired by easyJet in 2002.
Harford’s replacement, Clifford, rejoins the Virgin Group, where he worked from 1995 to 2002. Before this he spent nearly 15 years at Cathay Pacific Airways.
Virgin Nigeria, which started operations in June 2005, serves London, Johannesburg and Douala in Cameroon, as well as domestic routes.
COLIN BAKER/LONDON
Source: Airline Business
