There is a pilot at Air France KLM. Or at least, his arrival won't be long in coming. As has been rumoured for several days, Ben Smith has been chosen to take the helm of the airline group, which has been without any real governance since the resignation of its CEO, Jean-Marc Janaillacthree months earlier.
Ben Smith, 46, is currently President, Airlines and Chief Operating Officer at Air Canadawhose website publishes a glowing biography: " Ben is the visionary behind the strategic and diversified expansion of Air Canada's global network (...). He is also the principal architect of the development of Toronto Pearson as Air Canada's major global hub in addition to Vancouver. ".
According to the press release issued by Air France KLM on Thursday evening, " As soon as he arrives, Benjamin Smith will executive general management of the Air-France-KLM Group and will determine its organisation. Its priorities will be to revitalising Air Franceto give a major strategic boost to the Group, and to work with the teams to a new management approach ".
earn the trust and respect of Air France-KLM teams
In the same press release, Benjamin Smith said: ". I am more than enthusiastic about this new mission. Air France and KLM are two very large airlines, recognised throughout the world for the professionalism and commitment of their teams. I am aware that the Group is currently facing a number of challenges. competitiveness issuesBut I am convinced that the teams of all the Group's airlines have everything they need to succeed in the global air transport market. ". He added: " I want to earn the trust and respect of the Air France-KLM teams so that we can work and succeed together in this highly competitive and fast-changing industry..
a foreign manager who is being lobbied by a rival industrial group
It remains to be seen how the new boss of Air France KLM will be received, in a social climate that remains tense. Especially since, a few hours before Ben Smith's appointment, theinter-union had warned: " It is inconceivable that Air France, a French company since 1933, falls into the hands of a foreign manager whose candidacy would be pushed by a competing industrial group (Delta Airlines to name but one) "she insisted in a press release published on the morning of 16 August...
an opportunity for Air France-KLM to attract an executive of this calibre
In a joint communiqué, the Ministers Elisabeth Borne and Bruno Lemaire for their part, hail " the choice ofa leading air transport professionalwhose career is a testament to her in-depth knowledge of the sector on an international scale and strong managerial skills "and believe that is an opportunity for Air France-KLM to attract an executive of this calibre ".
On Twitter, the former CEO of the Jean-Marc Janaillac has presented its " best wishes of success to Benjamin Smith, a leading air transport professional, to enable AFKLM, with its strong workforce, its various airlines and its international allies, to play a lasting role in the sector's development" .
