File photo for illustration purposes.
SEPANG: AirAsia Bhd today announced the appointment of Riad Asmat as its new Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Aireen Omar who has been promoted to Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer, Digital, Transformation and Corporate Services.
AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said both appointments would be effective on Jan 10, 2018.
He also announced the appointment of Captain Adrian Jenkins as Chief Operating Officer of the AirAsia Group. He is currently AirAsia’s Group Director, Flight Operations.
Rozman Omar, current Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer, Strategy and Merger & Acquisition is laspo being appointed the Executive Director of AirAsia International Limited, which is the holding company for all of AirAsia’s group investments in its overseas joint ventures.
“Aireen’s appointment signals AirAsia’s determination to successfully transform itself from an aviation company into a digital corporation.
“This appointment underlines the fact that AirAsia is restructuring its priorities to optimally maximise the enormous potential for the 4.0 Industrial Revolution,” he told a press conference to announce the new appointments here today.
Fernandes added that digital transformation would be Aireen’s priority where she would be spearheading the non-airlines companies such as BigPay, BIG Loyalty, ROKKIShoppe.com, Rokki Portal, Travel360.com, Vidi, RedTix, AirAsiaGo BD4H, Red Cargo, Red Box and Santan.
“Through this digital initiative, we hope to see a cost saving of between five and ten per cent by end-2018,” he said.
He is currently Naza Corp Holdings Sdn Bhd’s Director of Corporate Planning, Strategy and Business Development, a position he has been holding since September 2014.
Riad, who was present at the press conference said:”There’s a lot I can learn in AirAsia and am looking forward to work closely with Tony (Fernandes) and the company to achieve greater heights.”
On next year’s outlook, Fernandes said 2018 would be a good year for the company, regionally, as ASEAN governments positively adopt the concept of low-cost airlines. – Bernama