Willie Walsh to Retire as CEO of British Airways’ Parent IAG

By Paul Riegler on 9 January 2020
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British Airways parent International Airlines Group announced that Willie Walsh will step down as CEO after 15 years at the company.  The new chief executive at IAG will be Luis Gallego, currently CEO of Iberia, Líneas Aéreas de España, which is also an IAG subsidiary.

The changeover will occur in March of this year.

Mr. Walsh is a former pilot and has spent his entire career in the airline industry.  He was the architect of IAG with the 2011 merger of Iberia and BA, and has made the company one of Europe’s most profitable airline concerns.

He began his career in 1979 as a pilot with Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus, which was taken over by IAG in 2015.

Under Mr. Walsh, IAG has continued to expand. In November, the company announced plans to acquire Air Europa for €1 billion ($1.11 billion). The all-cash deal for the Spanish airline will give IAG the potential for a hub in Madrid and greater access to the South American transatlantic market.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)

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  3. Aer Lingus Rejects Takeover Bid by British Airways Parent IAG
  4. Aer Lingus Open to New Takeover Offer from British Airways Parent

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