SITA CEO Francesco Violante to Step Down

SITA’s CEO, Mr. Francesco Violante, will step down in the second half of 2016 after more than 13 years at the helm.

Under Francesco’s leadership, SITA has undergone a dramatic transformation, merging previously separate entities into a single company that delivers IT solutions to the air transport community, touching every aspect of the travel journey with airlines, through airports and on board aircraft.

Dr Omar Jefri, Chair of the SITA Board and Executive Vice President Corporate Management & Regulations at Saudi Arabian Airlines said: “Over the past decade Francesco has positioned SITA as a leader in IT technology in the air transport industry (ATI) and has successfully steered the organization during a time when technology is rapidly changing the way we travel. On behalf of the SITA Board, I would like to thank Francesco for his dedication and for his vast contribution to the industry. The Board looks forward to his continued strong leadership until his successor is named.”

Francesco’s vision was to strengthen SITA's position at the heart of the ATI by promoting solutions to address community issues, as well as specific customer needs. He is credited with transforming SITA from a pure network based company to one that provides a complete portfolio of IT solutions for airlines, airports and government agencies across the globe. During his tenure, SITA has achieved a solid financial position with practically no debts and consolidated revenues of US$1.7 billion in 2014, achieving year-on-year incremental growth, despite some challenging times over the last decade in the aviation sector.

Jappe Blaauw, President of the SITA Council and KLM’s Chief Transformation Officer said: “Francesco has been instrumental in transforming SITA by turning the organization into the leading provider of IT solutions for the ATI today, delivering value to our 430 members as well as the nearly 2,000 airlines and airports around the globe.”

A global search for Francesco’s successor is currently under way.