The board and management of Philippine Airlines will meet on July 29 to discuss the selection process for the flag carrier’s new president, a source said over the weekend.
“There would be a meeting on July 29 to discuss the process in selecting the new president [for PAL],” the source said.
“We already [ranked] number 30 and there’s changing of the guard after Mr. Bautista got it. That is why we want continuity,” the source added. PAL’s longtime president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista retired in June this year.
Skytrax in June listed PAL as the top 30 airline in the world, rising 19 spots from top 49 in 2018, and a full 60 spots from top 90 in 2013.
Skytrax also re-certified PAL as a 4-Star Global Airline based on comprehensive quality audits performed in December 2018 and January 2019.
PAL announced last week that chairman Lucio Tan would take over as the interim president of the airline effective immediately.
Tan decided to assume the company’s top post pending the approval by the board of directors of the candidates for president.
PAL executive vice president, treasurer and chief administrative officer Vivienne Tan will assist his father in the airline’s day-to-day operations.
The board of PAL approved on June 24 Vivienne Tan’s appointment as the airline’s officer-in-charge following the retirement of Bautista on June 30. Vivienne Tan would remain the company’s EVP/treasurer and chief administrative officer as his father assumes the post of president. Darwin G. Amojelar
PAL management also appointed two key executives who will lead the airline’s commercial and human resources groups, signaling the start of the flag carrier’s transition to new leadership.
Rosemarie Katalbas was appointed as senior vice president of the human capital department and Eugene Go as chief commercial and marketing officer.
PAL’s parent firm, PAL Holdings Inc. earlier reported a net loss of P60.81 million in the first three months of 2019, an improvement from the P201.63-million loss in the same period last year.
Consolidated revenues in the first quarter rose 7.2 percent to P39.27 billion from P36.62 billion a year ago.
PAL flies to 43 international and 35 domestic destinations using 95 aircraft, one of the youngest fleets in the industry with an average age of just five years.
ANA HD, the Japanese parent company of All Nippon Airways, earlier invested $95 million for a 9.5-percent stake in PAL Holdings.
ANA HD acquired the shares from Trustmark Holdings Corp. which is owned by the Tan family.
