Willie Walsh takes CarTrawler role after leaving BA owner IAG

Willie Walsh has joined the board of the Irish car hire technology firm CarTrawler – his first appointment since departing as the chief executive of British Airways’ owner, IAG. The 58-year-old, one of the leading figures in global aviation in the past two decades, will be deputy chairman of the Dublin-based company. The business-to-business CarTrawler provides the technology to connect airlines and travel firms with car booking, working for brands including easyJet, Emirates, Hotels.com and American Express. It was bought by the private equity firm TowerBrook Capital earlier this year and the new owner pledged to invest more than E100m to drive its growth. CarTrawler’s chairman, Patrick Kennedy, said Walsh would bring “a wealth of extensive global experience” in aviation that would “add significant value as the world recovers”. The firm’s chief executive, Cormac Barry, said car rental was more relevant than ever because of Covid-19: “We are seeing demand for car rental recovering quicker than other modes of transport as consumers see the car as the safest way to travel.” The firm’s platform gives airlines the opportunity to sell airport transfers and car hire, the kind of ancillary revenues that have played a significant role in maximising budget airlines’ profits.<br/>