ID :
33352
Mon, 12/01/2008 - 21:16
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/33352
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MAS MD NAMED ORIENT AVIATION PERSON 2008
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- Idris Jala, managing director and chief executive officer of Malaysia Airlines (MAS), has been named Orient Aviation Person 2008 for being the driving force behind the national carrier's amazing comeback.
While many wrote off the airline when it made its biggest losses ever of
RM1.3 billion (US$0.37 billion)in nine months in 2005, Idris joined the airline
and turned MAS' record losses into record profits and rebuilt confidence and
morale among its 20,000 employees, all within two years.
"MAS recorded RM851 million (US$243 million) in the financial year 2007,
its highest profit in 60 years of operations, and is only one of the six
airlines in the world recognised as a "5-star airline" by Skytrax, United
Kingdom, an accolade it has won for three consecutive years from 2006 to 2008,"
said MAS in a statement Monday.
Idris said he was pleased and honoured to accept the award as he and his
team worked hard to turnaround MAS. Now, they are embarking on a business
transformation journey in pursuit of their vision to become the World's FIve
Star Value carrier.
Idris said he is blessed with a great team of people who are passionate
about the airline.
Orient Aviation chief executive Barry Grindrod said Idris acted speedily
and decisively. In the last three years, he has slashed US$500 million costs at
MAS.
Idris is on target for additional cuts of US$280 million in operational
costs this year. Significantly, he has also restored morale in the carrier which
was rock bottom when he joined the airline, Grindrod said.
He has quickly become one of the most highly respected chief executive
officers in the industry worldwide, he said.
Previous winners of the award, which was established in 1999, include Chew
Choong Seng from Singapore Airlines; Geoff Dixon, Qantas Airways; Jaime
Bautista, Philippine Airlines; Kanok Abhiradee, Thai Airways International and
David Turnbull, Cathay Pacific Airways.
Orient Aviation is a magazine published for distribution to members of the
Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, with the majority of members being
airlines in the Asia Pacific region and organisation in the airline and tourism
industries.
--BERNAMA
While many wrote off the airline when it made its biggest losses ever of
RM1.3 billion (US$0.37 billion)in nine months in 2005, Idris joined the airline
and turned MAS' record losses into record profits and rebuilt confidence and
morale among its 20,000 employees, all within two years.
"MAS recorded RM851 million (US$243 million) in the financial year 2007,
its highest profit in 60 years of operations, and is only one of the six
airlines in the world recognised as a "5-star airline" by Skytrax, United
Kingdom, an accolade it has won for three consecutive years from 2006 to 2008,"
said MAS in a statement Monday.
Idris said he was pleased and honoured to accept the award as he and his
team worked hard to turnaround MAS. Now, they are embarking on a business
transformation journey in pursuit of their vision to become the World's FIve
Star Value carrier.
Idris said he is blessed with a great team of people who are passionate
about the airline.
Orient Aviation chief executive Barry Grindrod said Idris acted speedily
and decisively. In the last three years, he has slashed US$500 million costs at
MAS.
Idris is on target for additional cuts of US$280 million in operational
costs this year. Significantly, he has also restored morale in the carrier which
was rock bottom when he joined the airline, Grindrod said.
He has quickly become one of the most highly respected chief executive
officers in the industry worldwide, he said.
Previous winners of the award, which was established in 1999, include Chew
Choong Seng from Singapore Airlines; Geoff Dixon, Qantas Airways; Jaime
Bautista, Philippine Airlines; Kanok Abhiradee, Thai Airways International and
David Turnbull, Cathay Pacific Airways.
Orient Aviation is a magazine published for distribution to members of the
Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, with the majority of members being
airlines in the Asia Pacific region and organisation in the airline and tourism
industries.
--BERNAMA
