A decade ago it would have been unthinkable for Iberia, the former state-owned, loss-making Spanish flag carrier, to be receiving the honours in a leading industry award for its boardroom excellence.
But last night, in a gala evening in London, the airline's chairman Xabier de Irala was all smiles as he was given the award for corporate leadership in the inaugural Strategy Awards presented by Airline Business magazine. He has been instrumental in turning the carrier around into a profitable and privatised business that is a key player in the global Oneworld airline alliance.
Others honoured by an independent panel of respected industry figures included Jerry Atkin of Skywest for regional airline leadership, while JetBlue Airways won the finance award. The magazine's own Lifetime Achievement Award was presented by editor Kevin O'Toole to ex-IATA director general Pierre Jeanniot.
Source: Flight Daily News