Management shake-up at Flybe

AIRLINE Flybe has shaken up its senior management team even though its operational review is still on-going.

The airline, the largest in terms of volume at Manchester Airport, announced in early August that Saad Hammad, its new chief executive officer, had started a full review of the group’s operations.

That review has now resulted in the departure of Andrew Strong, managing director of Flybe UK, Mike Rutter, managing director of Flybe Outsourcing Solutions and Mark Chown, director of corporate strategy.

In a statement to the London Stock Exchange this morning, Flybe said: “whilst the review is on-going, it is already apparent that the future direction of the  business will be best advanced through a unified and lower cost operational approach.  Consequently, the current divisional structure, comprising Flybe UK and Flybe Outsourcing Solutions, will be disbanded and all operations integrated into a single operating unit.”
 
Paul Simmons will join Flybe as chief commercial officer on October 28 while Matt Bennett, currently director of internal audit and risk, will, in addition to his current duties, act as director of special projects. John Palmer, currently director of aircraft maintenance, will become (interim) director of operations whilst a search is conducted for this role.
 
Hammad said: “It has quickly become clear to me that Flybe’s prospects will be significantly enhanced by disbanding the existing divisional structure and integrating all operations into a single, simpler and lower cost operating unit.  

“Today’s announcement facilitates that move and will form an important part of the strategic review of the business which I expect to conclude in November.”