Cathay Pacific Shuffles Management

Tony Tyler, Chief Executive of Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., will resign and become IATA’s newly appointed director general and chief executive.
Cathay Pacific Shuffles Management
Tony Tyler (L) and Christopher Pratt of Cathy Pacific Airways (Mike Clarke /Getty Images)
12/5/2010
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/80125714(3).jpg" alt="Tony Tyler (L) and Christopher Pratt of Cathy Pacific Airways (Mike Clarke /Getty Images)" title="Tony Tyler (L) and Christopher Pratt of Cathy Pacific Airways (Mike Clarke /Getty Images)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1811299"/></a>
Tony Tyler (L) and Christopher Pratt of Cathy Pacific Airways (Mike Clarke /Getty Images)
After 32 years with Hong Kong flagship airline Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., Chief Executive Tony Tyler will resign and become the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) newly appointed director general and chief executive.

The Geneva-based association represents an estimated 230 of the world’s largest international airlines. Other contenders for the job included the Australian chief executive of Etihad Airways, James Hogan.

IATA’s board of governors has unanimously selected Tyler to fill the role of chief executive and director general the current post holder, Giovanni Bisignani retires next year.

‘‘After nearly 10 years of crises, challenges, and change, I will look forward with confidence to handing over the reins of IATA’s leadership to Tony in July,’' the association’s outgoing general secretary, Giovanni Bisignani, said in a statement.

On the prospect of taking over from Giovanni Bisignani in the IATA role, Tyler said, “I am delighted and honored to have been chosen for this position by my peers in the international aviation industry. It is an important and responsible job, representing the interests of 230 airlines from 118 countries around the globe.”

Commenting on the senior management changes, Cathay Pacific Chairman Christopher Pratt said, “Our congratulations go to Tony on being recommended by the IATA board for this very important position. IATA is fortunate to be gaining a man of his experience and calibre. Tony has worked for Cathay Pacific for 32 years, has been a director for 14 years and chief executive for the last three, when he steered the airline through a very volatile period. He is a well known and respected figure in global aviation and a passionate advocate for the industry.”

Fifty-four-year-old John Slosar will take over as the chief executive over Cathay, the world’s third-largest airline by value. Slosar has been working for the Swire Group for around 30 years, and over the last three years, has been in the role as the airline’s chief operating officer.