John Slosar to Succeed Tony Tyler as Chief Executive of Cathay Pacific

As Cathay Pacific's Chief Executive, Tony Tyler, is leaving the airline on 31 March 2011 to join IATA in July, the airline has appointed John Slosar, the current COO, to succeed him. The successor to Mr Slosar has not yet been confirmed.

Commenting on the senior management changes, Cathay Pacific Chairman Christopher Pratt said, “Our congratulations go to Tony on being recommended by the IATA Board for this very important position. IATA is fortunate to be gaining a man of his experience and calibre. Tony has worked for Cathay Pacific for 32 years, has been a Director for 14 years and Chief Executive for the last three, when he steered the airline through a very volatile period. He is a well known and respected figure in global aviation and a passionate advocate for the industry.”

In a message to Cathay Pacific staff, Mr Tyler said that with his retirement age looming, the prospect of a further period of involvement in the aviation industry was an attractive proposition he found impossible to resist. He added that the excitement of accepting his new challenge at IATA is “tinged with sadness” at the prospect of leaving the company and the colleagues with whom he has worked for more than 30 years.

“It will be a wrench to go, but I know I will be leaving the company in extremely good hands. John Slosar and I have worked hand in glove over the last three dramatic years – from the highs of 2007, to the lows of 2008 and 2009 to the remarkable comeback in 2010. I have every confidence that he will lead the airline to even bigger and better things, with the support of a team that is quite simply the best in the business,” Mr Tyler said.

John Slosar

John Slosar, aged 54, joined the Swire group in 1980 and has worked with the group’s Aviation Division in Hong Kong, the United States and Thailand. He was appointed Managing Director of Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd in 1996, Managing Director of Swire Pacific’s Beverages Division in July 1998 and Chief Operating Officer of Cathay Pacific in July 2007.

On 1 July 2010, he was appointed Chairman of Swire Beverages in addition to his current role as Chief Operating Officer of Cathay Pacific.

Mr Slosar is currently on the boards of Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd, John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Ltd, Swire Pacific Ltd and Swire Beverages.

He is a graduate of both Columbia University and Cambridge University.

See also: Tony Tyler to Become Next IATA DG and CEO

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