BA’s Eddington set to return to Australia

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8/03/2005

BA’s Eddington set to return to Australia

British Airways chief executive Rod Eddington is expected to resign later this year.

Media reports in the UK said Eddington had told friends he would be back in Australia by January, 2006. He had also said he would take time out to travel around Europe beforehand.

Eddington is now expected to leave within months of the airline’s annual general meeting, which is held in July.

The exact date of Eddington’s departure will depend on when a replacement is ready to start.

Names of a number of possible candidates for the post have circulated in the British press.

Two internal candidates – finance director John Rishton and commercial director Martin George – have both been mentioned as a possible ceo, although pundits have suggested an outsider will replace Eddington.

American Airlines cfo James Beer, Cathay Pacific ceo Tony Tyler, former Aer Lingus ceo Wille Walsh and James Hogan, the Australian former bmi executive who now runs Gulf Air, have all been named as possible successors to Eddington.

One paper claimed Barbara Cassani, who was ceo of BA’s low-cost airline, Go, before it was sold to EasyJet, could return to BA, but stated the speculation had been dismissed by company sources.

The 55-year old Eddington, former head of Ansett Australia, has been credited for steering BA through big job cuts and major restructuring and the effects of September 11 and SARS.

BA said it was not actively looking for a replacement.

Eddington had previously said his BA role would be his last job in aviation.

8 March 2005

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