AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes made the announcement of this and other senior appointments at a press conference today.
“Riad’s appointment and Aireen’s transition will provide support for continued success”, Fernandes told media at the AirAsia headquarters here today, adding that Riad’s appointment is effective immediately.
Prior to his appointment as AirAsia CEO, Riad was the director of corporate planning, strategy and business development at Naza Corporation Holdings Sdn Bhd.
In accepting the appointment as CEO of AirAsia Malaysia, Riad said he is humbled and honoured to lead AirAsia.
Meanwhile, on Aireen’s new role, Fernandes said that she will be responsible for AirAsia’s digital strategy, promoting innovation throughout the group and encouraging collaboration across AirAsia’s businesses and markets.
Aireen will be spearheading the non-airline companies such as BIGPay, BIG Loyalty, ROKKIShoppe.com, ROKKI Portal, Travel360.com, Vidi, RedTix, AirAsiaGo, BD4H, RedCargo, Red Box and Santan.
Earlier in his speech, Fernandes added that Aireen will oversee large, strategic group-wide initiatives and help transform AirAsia into a global, cloud-driven product and platform company.
Another significant appointment was that of Captain Adrian Jenkins as AirAsia chief operating officer. Jenkins had joined AirAsia in 1996, when it was still under Hicom Holdings, before Fernandes took over the company in 2001 and turned it into the successful low-cost carrier that it is today.
During the speech and again during the press conference, Fernandes brushed off retirement rumours.
“I am not resigning. I am also not retiring,” he said.
In a tweet he had sent earlier this morning, he said: “Laughable that there is a rumour I’m retiring. My announcement is an exciting one that charts our future of AirAsia.”