Gustav Baldauf appointed Air India chief operating officer

Mumbai/New Delhi: In a bid to bring about a turnaround in the ailing national carrier, Gustav Baldauf, Austrian Airlines' executive vice-president, flight operations, was Tuesday appointed chief operating officer (COO) of Air India.
Baldauf's appointment was decided at a meeting of the board of directors of the National Aviation Company India Ltd (NACIL) - which operates Air India - at its Mumbai headquarters.
Baldauf had worked with Jet Airways as its vice-president for flight operations earlier.
Air India had shortlisted three candidates for the post of COO. Besides Baldauf, those in the running were Brock Friesen, COO of Air Malta, and George Reeleder, managing director of Rapidair - a domestic service of Air Canada. The three were chosen from 140 applicants for the post.
Baldauf, the first ever COO of the airline, will have the task of salvaging Air India's fortunes in the next three years.
NACIL also formed four committees - one each for human resources, audit, strategy and finance. These committees will give their reports on the turnaround plan for the airline in the next 30 days, a senior Air India official said after the meeting.
While Amit Mitra, secretary general of the industry lobby Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), will head the HR committee, Anand Mahindra, vice-chairman and managing director of Mahindra & Mahindra, will steer the committee on audit and finance.
06/04/10 IANS/Economic Times

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Categories: Foreign Apr 2010, NACIL Apr 2010, New Apr 2010