AirAsia recently announced the appointment of Aireen Omar the new chief executive officer for its Malaysia-based operations, AirAsia Berhad. She will assume her post on July 1, 2012 and will report directly to Tony Fernandes, Group CEO of AirAsia.
“I am delighted with the appointment of Aireen, who has consistently demonstrated her capabilities and commitment in propelling AirAsia to new heights. She has long been an invaluable part of the senior management team of AirAsia and possesses the vision and leadership qualities crucial for the company’s growth in its second decade,” Fernandes said.
Head honchos (from left-right) Tassapon Bijleveld (CEO of AirAsia Thailand), Azran Osman-Rani (CEO of AirAsia X), Tony Fernandes (Group CEO of AirAsia), Aireen Omar (CEO of AirAsia Malaysia), Dato’ Aziz Bakar (Chairman of AirAsia Bhd), Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun (Deputy Group CEO of AirAsia), Captain Dharmadi (CEO of AirAsia Indonesia), Maan Hontiveros (CEO of AirAsia Philippines) and Kazuyuki Iwakata (CEO of AirAsia Japan).
As a CEO of AirAsia Malaysia, Aireen joins a dynamic team which already includes Tassapon Bijleveld, CEO of AirAsia Thailand; Capt. Dharmadi, CEO of AirAsia Indonesia; Marianne Hontiveros, CEO of AirAsia Philippines; and Kazuyuki Iwakata, CEO of AirAsia Japan – all of whom directly report to Group CEO Tony Fernandes.
“We are proud to be probably the first ASEAN Group with two female CEO’s. Aireen’s appointment is testament of the strength and depth of AirAsia Group’s senior management team. It is also an affirmation of our management philosophy of meritocracy in the company’s operations,” Fernandes said.
Prior to her appointment as CEO, Aireen was Regional Head of Corporate Finance, Treasury and Investor Relations. She joined AirAsia in January 2006 as Director of Corporate Finance. Aireen was, among others, instrumental in securing the financing for AirAsia’s fleet expansion, a vital component of AirAsia’s success. Her role included handling the negotiations with Airbus for the record purchase of 200 Airbus A320neo aircraft that was announced at the Paris Airshow in 2011.
Aireen holds an economics degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a masters in economics degree from New York University.
In accepting the appointment as CEO of AirAsia Malaysia, Aireen said, “I am honored and humbled by the trust and confidence placed in me by AirAsia co-founders Tony, Kamarudin and the Board of Directors. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have worked with and learned from two of the best entrepreneurs in ASEAN. These are certainly big shoes to fill, but with the passion, hard work and creativity of the AirAsia Allstars, a management team that has proven its leadership across the industry, and AirAsia’s consummate belief in Malaysia and the region, we move onwards with confidence.”
Speaking on behalf of the board of directors, AirAsia Chairman Dato’ Aziz Bakar said, “We welcome the appointment of Aireen as CEO of AirAsia Berhad. Aireen has long been a member of the AirAsia family, and we are confident that with her credentials, she will lead the company to even greater growth and maintain its market leadership.”
