Negotiations on for new BWIA CEO

NEGOTIATIONS for the appointment of a new CEO at cash-strapped national airline BWIA are being finalised, according to Corporate Communications Manager Clint Williams. President and Chief Executive Officer Conrad Aleong officially handed in his resignation from the company on Monday. That ended his five year stint as the company’s CEO, his second tenure. His current three-year contract expires on January 31. Last week Prime Minister Patrick Manning demanded the immediate restructuring of the company’s management as one of the conditions for continued financial assistance by the State. He was speaking after a meeting between Government and the International Lease Finance Company (ILFC), the US-based BWIA lessors, to secure the release of two aircraft which were seized in Miami last month.

Prior to Aleong’s resignation, BWIA’s Vice President of Procurement and Material Administration Brenda Billy was appointed as his interim successor to be in charge of the airline’s day to day operations. There was speculation that she would eventually be appointed Chief Financial Officer at the company, to make way for the appointment of Nelson Tom Yew as CEO. Tom Yew is currently the General Manager of Tobago Express. It was also reported that chairman Lawrence Duprey would tender his resignation by the end of the week. However, in an interview with Newsday, Clint Williams denied these reports, stating that there had been no such activity.