New roles for the industry’s movers and shakers
Abacus
Peter Li has been appointed as general manager for China at Abacus. Reporting directly to Brett Henry, vice president – commercial, Li will build on the collaborative strategy that has established Abacus as China’s complementary foreign Global Distribution System (GDS) used by a fast growing network of international travel agents. Li brings with him over 17 years of experience, most recently overseeing business development at TripAdvisor where he was particularly instrumental in educating China’s hoteliers on the online opportunity, connecting them with wider domestic and overseas audiences.
Canadian Tourism Commission
David Goldstein has been appointed as president and chief executive officer of Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC), effective December 1, 2014. Goldstein is currently the president and chief executive officer of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC). In this capacity, Goldstein was one of the key architects of the Federal Tourism Strategy with Industry Canada.
Inmarsat Aviation
Captain Mary I McMillan has been appointed as vice president of aviation safety and operational services at Inmarsat Aviation. A 30-year veteran of the aviation industry, Captain McMillan has recorded over 12,000 hours flight time in aircraft ranging from B747, B767 and Airbus 320. Prior to joining Inmarsat Aviation, Captain McMillan was senior vice president, aerospace safety and environment at Tetra Tech AMT. In that role, Captain McMillan was responsible for the development of safety risk strategies and safety management systems for air navigation service providers, airports and airlines, and subject matter expertise in the area of aviation safety reporting and data analysis.
Etihad Airways
Yasser Al Yousuf has been appointed as managing director of Etihad Guest, Etihad Airways’ and its partners Air Serbia, Air Seychelles and Etihad Regional, loyalty programme. Yousuf has a strong background in the loyalty industry having worked at Emirates Skywards, and more recently at Du.
He joined Etihad Airways in 2013, and has held a number of senior roles within Etihad Guest since then, including head of services and head of coalition partnerships.
Shane O’Hare has been appointed as senior vice president – marketing of Etihad Airways. At Etihad Airways, O’Hare will have the responsibility for developing the airline’s marketing strategy, and for leading its successful implementation across commercial strategies, brand management, communications, product and service development, and sales and distribution strategies. O’Hare began his career with Qantas Airways, before founding a regional airline and tourist operation, Seair Pacific.
Eszter Ungar has been appointed as head of corporate affairs – Europe at Etihad Airways. Ungar joins the airline from Boeing where she held the position of communications director for EU/ NATO, Northern Europe and Africa, based in Brussels. Ungar has also held posts at GE and Hill & Knowlton, where she managed several Fortune 500 clients. Ungar will be based at Etihad Airways’ European headquarters in Berlin where she will be responsible for building and managing the airline’s brand and reputation in Europe as well as supporting its engagement with European Union institutions.
Amadeus
Frédéric Barou has been appointed as vice president of distribution, products and operations at Amadeus Asia Pacific. Based in Bangkok, Barou will be responsible for driving the overall product marketing strategy, delivering innovative and personalised business solutions to Amadeus customers across the Asia Pacific region. He will also be leading Amadeus customer service for the region.
Barou has been a member of the Amadeus family since 1999. Prior to joining the Asia Pacific team, he was vice president, sales and account management for Amadeus North America, based in Chicago.
Christian Lukey has been appointed as regional director of hotel distribution in Asia Pacific of Amadeus. With more than 16 years’ experience in hospitality roles across Asia Pacific, Lukey has extensive insight into hotel business strategy, reservation systems, distribution networks and travel buyers’ needs. Lukey was previously commercial director of HRS, where he spearheaded the opening of the Singapore office to drive regional business development.
AAPA
Emirsyah Satar, president and CEO of Garuda Indonesia, has assumed his duties as chairman of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) for 2015. Satar succeeds Osamu Shinobe, president and CEO of All Nippon Airways, whose one-year term expired at the conclusion of the AAPA 58th Assembly of Presidents, which was held this week in Tokyo, Japan. Every year the position of AAPA chairman is changed and passed on to another member airline’s CEO. This is the second time the AAPA chairmanship has been held by Garuda Indonesia -which joined AAPA in 1967.
Travelport
Kaylene Shuttlewood has joined Travelport as general manager, Pacific, while incumbent Alex Fitzpatrick will be relocating to Travelport headquarters in the UK to take up a senior role as head of global payments and settlements portfolio, starting December. Shuttlewood will oversee Travelport’s commercial operations and drive business growth across the Pacific region. She will also be responsible for leading and supporting the deployment of Travelport’s technologies to customers in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, as well as managing Travelport’s distribution partner in Papua New Guinea.
Matt Minetola has been appointed as chief information officer of Travelport. Minetola, who takes on the responsibility for leading Travelport’s Technology organisation with immediate effect, has more than 27 years of global experience of large scale technology leadership gained in both the hardware, software and banking industries. Most recently, he was CIO for HP Financial Services. During his 14 year tenure at HP, Minetola served in a variety of IT leadership roles. Prior to his most recent position, he spent three years leading the technology organisation for HP’s print business.
GKN Aerospace
David M Brantner has been appointed as president of aerospace division at GKN Aerospace, a new role with global oversight of customer relations, including programme performance and strategic product and technology deployment for sustained growth. Brantner will report to Kevin Cummings, chief executive, GKN Aerospace. Brantner has served more than 20 years with Pratt & Whitney, United Technologies. The last 15 years have been in executive roles with wide ranging experience. His most recent role was as president, commercial engines at Pratt & Whitney.
PATA
Mario Hardy has been appointed as chief executive officer of PATA. Prior to becoming CEO, Hardy was chief operations officer of PATA, a position he held since 15 January 2014. Hardy is an entrepreneur with close to 30 years of combined leadership, corporate development and change management experience. He is also the past chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PATA Foundation.
Prior to PATA, Hardy worked 14 years for UBM/OAG and occupied several leadership roles in London, Beijing and Singapore.