Aer Lingus CEO Kavanagh To Step Down

IAG has announced a CEO change at its Aer Lingus airline, with Stephen Kavanagh to be replaced by Sean Doyle.

“After a 30-year career in Aer Lingus with the last four years as chief executive, I’ve taken the decision to step down to pursue other interests,” Kavanagh said.

“By any objective measure Aer Lingus has been successful in recent years and continues to have significant opportunity to build upon the strong fundamentals of our value model.”

Kavanagh will retain his board position as a non-executive director after he steps down from the top job at the end of the year.

Sean Doyle, who is currently director of network, fleet and alliances at sister airline British Airways, will take up his new position on January 1, 2019.

He has been at BA for 20 years in a number of financial, strategy, commercial and alliance roles, and joined the airline’s executive management committee in 2016.

IAG chief executive Willie Walsh said Doyle had acquired significant expertise and experience, making him ideally suited to lead the Irish airline.

Walsh also said that Aer Lingus chief operating officer, Mike Rutter, has extended his contract and “will work with Sean to ensure that the airline continues to deliver its strong performance.”