Jet Airways’ new promoters have chosen former Sri Lankan Airlines chief executive officer, Vipula Gunatilleka, as its chief financial officer.
The aviation expert, who will join Jet Airways on March 1, has been credited for turning around the fortunes of SriLankan Airlines and TAAG Angola Airlines.
Jet Airways was grounded in April 2019 after struggling with massive debt and a cash crunch.
It then underwent the corporate insolvency resolution process which ended last year, following which a consortium comprising UAE-based entrepreneur Murari Lal Jalan and London-based Kalrock
Capital became its new promoters.
They planned to relaunch the airline by 2022.
Aviation experts viewed the CFO appointment as a sign of the airline getting closer to restarting operations.
“This appointment gives me positive signals on the airline’s plan to restart operations”, Rohit Tomar, Managing Partner of Caladrius Aero Consulting, told DH.
Some others, such as Mark Martin, the chief executive at aviation industry consultancy Martin Consulting LLC, said the incoming CFO was a
good fit due to his familiarity with accounting standards in Asia.
Martin said incoming CFO Gunatilleka has a tough task ahead of him.
“It is not going to be easy for him to get a cheque from an investor. He will first have to help restart the airline and help maintain a good book,” Martin said.
Last week, Tata Sons named former Turkish Airlines Chairman Ilker Ayci as the CEO and Managing Director of Air India.
Air India and Jet Airways were the two oldest full-service carriers in India.
“Jet Airways has an uphill task of getting back on the runway” as it had stopped operations when things got bad, unlike its peer Air India which kept going even during the divestment process, Martin said.
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