Former Cathay Chief to Head IATA

The International Air Transportation Association named former Cathay Pacific chief executive Tony Tyler to replace Giovanni Bisignani as head of the world’s largest airline advocacy group.

IATA also said Peter Hartmann, president and CEO of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, will replace David Bronczek of FedEx Express as chairman of the airline association.

Tyler retired from Cathay in March after 33 years at the Hong Kong-based airline, the last four as CEO.

As a senior executive he helped manage the carrier through a tumultuous period that included the handover of Hong Kong to China in the 1990s, several steep economic downturns and airline industry consolidation that including Cathay’s purchase of rival Dragonair. He also has overseen Cathay’s growing presence in mainland China, including a partnership with Air China.

Bisignani, a former Alitalia CEO, has led IATA since 2002 through a period of dramatic financial ups and downs as well as the flowering of broad new aviation freedoms across the international airline world.