SAA names new chief
An outsider has been named as the new chief executive for South African Airways (SAA).
The head of the country's Industrial Development Corporation, Khaya Ngqula, has been chosen instead of simply handing the reins to deputy chief executive Oyama Mabandla, who has been running the airline while a successor was found to Andre Viljoen, who resigned in early August. Before that Mabandla was being groomed to run SAA.
Ngqula, who takes up his post in mid-October, will immediately be faced with a recruitment issue following the resignation of Johan van Jaarsveld, executive vice-president customer services, in late September. The departure of van Jaarsveld, is a major loss for SAA, for he was one of the few remaining senior executives at SAA with solid airline management experience.
The changes are coming thick and fast at SAA, which also has a new board chairman: Jakes Gerwel - currently chancellor of Rhodes University and chair of the Human Sciences Research Council.
MARK PILLING LONDON
Source: Airline Business
