New roles for the industry’s movers and shakers
Sabre
Sabre Corporation has appointed Fanny Yeung as general manager of its Hong Kong operations for Sabre Travel Network. In her new role, Yeung will be responsible for the growth of the market, strengthening the company’s strategic partnerships, while advocating for the adoption of Sabre’s innovative travel technologies with its travel agent and supplier prospects and customers. Yeung replaces Agatha Lee who has been heading the local Abacus business for the past year, on placement from Cathay Pacific.
AirAsia India
AirAsia has appointed Mittu Chandilya as managing director of AirAsia India in addition to his role as chief executive officer. The AirAsia India Board appointed Chandilya as the managing director and the first full time independent executive director of the company. Chandilya became a CEO at 32, the youngest CEO of a scheduled airline in India and one where he was the first employee in a clean-sheet start up.
India Tourism Development Corporation
India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) has announced transition in its leadership with Piyush Tiwari taking over charge of director (commercial and marketing) from Commodore (Retd) Ratan Kumar Okhandiar. The key focus area for Tiwari will be to take the company to the next level by way of strengthening brand ITDC and by leveraging upon inherent strengths of the corporation, offering various tourism related services as well as one stop solution to corporates for their business needs. His new role includes responsibility of further strengthening the brand’s connection with its stakeholders including customers, employees, investors, etc.
Bombardier
Bombardier Business Aircraft has appointed 28-year company veteran Lisa ‘Lee’ Boulanger as vice president of customer support. She will be based in Montreal, Quebec and assumes her role immediately. In her role, she will be responsible for the Bombardier Business Aircraft customer support network including 24/7 customer response centres, 15 internationally based regional support offices, more than 238 support professionals deployed across 42 countries and a highly experienced team encompassing engineering support, technical publications, maintenance tracking programmes and much more.
Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways has appointed Lindsay White to the position of vice president – Australia and Asia Pacific. In this role, White will assume responsibility for the entire Asia Pacific region, adding China, Japan, Korea and Thailand to his current portfolio of Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam. He brings more than 30 years of aviation industry experience to the role, having held various senior management positions at British Airways before joining Gulf Air in 2005 as its general manager in Malaysia and Brunei. He subsequently joined Etihad Airways as its country manager in Malaysia. In September 2008, White relocated to Sydney to take up the role of general manager Australia and New Zealand for Etihad Airways and, in 2012, was promoted to vice president Asia Pacific South and Australasia.
Qantas
Qantas has appointed Alan Chang as country manager – China, based in Shanghai. Chang has extensive work experience internationally in Taiwan and Canada across aviation and travel sectors. Most recently, he was the regional sales manager for Emirates in Taiwan, which included the establishment of the airline’s local office and operations and the launch of their first A380 aircraft into Taipei. Prior to Emirates, Chang served as general manager for Holiday Tours and Travel (HTT) for five years, representing Qantas and Jetstar as general sales agent in Taiwan. Chang joins the broader Qantas team in Asia and along with Wyn Li, general manager, Qantas in Hong Kong, will jointly manage the South China market. Li will meanwhile take up additional responsibility of the Taiwan market as general manager – Hong Kong, Taiwan and South China.
Hertz
Hertz has appointed Alexandria Marren as executive vice president North American Rental Car Operations, and Dewayne Kirkham as senior vice president and general manager of Hertz Local Edition. Marren joins Hertz from ExpressJet Airlines, part of SkyWest, Inc., where she was chief operating officer. Prior to ExpressJet, Marren was senior vice president at United Airlines and United Express. Marren also served in a number of executive roles at United, including leading the Onboard Service group, during her more than 25-year career there. A 19-year veteran of Hertz, Kirkham will have responsibility for Hertz’s off-airport operation, which includes more than 3,000 locations in the US.
Adara
Adara has appointed Stuart Stacy as commercial director – Pacific. Stacy will be working to deliver new revenue and business insights to Adara’s Australian and New Zealand customers. Stacy has more than 20 years of experience in the travel media sector. He joins Adara from Orbitz Worldwide, where as the director for Asia Pacific he built and established the Asia Pacific media sales operation. Prior to Orbitz, Stacy was the director and head of partner marketing at ebookers in London, where he oversaw ad sales, strategic partnerships and operations across 12 European countries.
AIPC
Aloysius Arlando, chief executive officer of SingEx, the management company of Singapore Expo Convention and Exhibition Centre and the first Asian to be elected to the AIPC (International Association of Congress Centres) board in 2012, has been named vice president. The election took place at AIPC’s annual conference and general assembly held in Boston. AIPC represents a global network of over 170 leading centres in 54 countries with the active involvement of more than 900 management-level professionals worldwide.
Tourism Toronto
Tourism Toronto has appointed Johanne Bélanger as president and CEO, effective September 1, 2015. Bélanger was president of Freeman Audio Visual Canada for the past 10 years and, throughout her career, has been a globally recognised leader in exhibitions and events. She also served as chair of Tourism Toronto’s board of directors from 2012 to 2014 and has been a member of the board since 2009. In 2014 she was inducted into the Meetings and Incentive Travel Hall of Fame and has also served as president of the board of directors for InfoComm International, the trade association representing the professional audio visual and information communications industries worldwide.
ICC Sydney
The International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) has appointed Erica Blythe as director of finance and administration. Her appointment marks the final position to be appointed within the leadership team that will guide ICC Sydney to its December 2016 opening. With more than 14 years of experience in finance roles within the hospitality industry, she joins ICC Sydney after four years as the regional financial controller for NSW and ACT with Accor and 16 years with the group. She is a certified practicing accountant and holds a Bachelor of Business and an early career Diploma in Hotel Management.