Air France human resources executive Gateau to leave company

Gilles Gateau, the head of human resources at Air France, is to leave the airline, according to an internal Email seen by Reuters. No details were given for Gateau's departure, in the internal Email. The Air France internal memorandum added that Gateau would be replaced on an interim basis by Patrice Tizon. Benjamin Smith took over as Air France KLM's CE last month. Smith faces having to overcome union resistance to reduce the French unit's swollen cost base while keeping increasingly frustrated Dutch staff on side. A wave of strikes this spring cost the group over US$348m and led to the departure of Smith's predecessor. Smith met union staff Monday. Trade union representative Christophe Malloggi said talks with Smith had been "frank" and that union staff were sticking to their demands for better pay. <br/>