South African Airways seeks new chief to steer carrier after privatisation collapse

South African Airways is formally seeking a new CE to pursue an alternative strategic course after the collapse of its privatisation effort. The airline is advertising for five senior management positions – including the chief – having been led, for the past three years, by an interim team. South Africa’s government had been negotiating a revised privatisation deal with a consortium, Takatso Aviation, which had originally agreed to take a 51% share of SAA. But the two sides were unable to reach a new pact and the process was terminated in mid-March. As a result, Takatso will not be appointing its own SAA managers. “The board has deemed it necessary to have a properly constituted and permanent executive team to pilot the airline’s strategic plan into the future,” says the carrier. Chair of the interim board Derek Hanekom says filling the management posts is a “positive and decisive step” intended to provide “organisational stability” and a “predictable direction” for SAA’s expansion. He adds that interim CE John Lamola supports the measure as a natural step in the airline’s development.<br/>