IATA announced leadership
changes at its 72nd AGM in
Dublin. Willie Walsh, ceo of
International Airlines Group,
takes over from Andrés
Conesa, ceo of AeroMexico,
as chairman of the Iata
board of governors. Willie,
who represents British
Airways, takes up his duties
immediately for a one-year
term until the conclusion of
Iata’s 73rd AGM. Alexandre
de Juniac, chairman and
ceo of Air France KLM,
will succeed Tony Tyler as
Iata dg and ceo, effective
September 1. Goh Choon
Phong, ceo of Singapore
Airlines, will serve as board
chair-elect for a one-year
term, to take office from
June 2017 following
Willie’s term.
Appointments
■ Wayne
Neath has
been appointed
national sales
manager for
Dream Hotels
& Resorts.
He has 15 years’ industry
experience, with both local
and international knowledge.
He believes that success
in the hospitality industry
comes as a result of
providing clients in the travel
trade with exceptional service
as well as taking care of staff
and shareholders.
■ Border Air, the
airline GSA for
LATAM Airlines,
Air Seychelles,
Air Austral and
AeroMexico,
has appointed
Esther Currie from Amalfi
Travel Promotions as its
representative in KwaZulu
Natal.
■ Bryan
Havemann has
been appointed
new warden and
gm of Timbavati
Private Nature
Reserve, part of
the Greater Kruger National
Park. Previously programme
manager at the Cape Leopard
Trust, he takes over from
Jacques Brits.
■ Hans Peter
Merensky is the
new gm of the
David Livingstone
Safari Lodge &
Spa in Zambia. He
heads up a staff
complement of just over 100
employees and is overseeing
a series of upgrades and new
offerings across the property.
■ Bilal Essop has
been appointed
deputy gm of
the Palazzo
Montecasino,
having risen
rapidly through
the Tsogo Sun ranks since
joining the group as a student
in 2009 at SunSquare
Montecasino. He has since
worked in a number of
departments at Southern
Sun Grayston, Intercontinental
Johannesburg Sandton Towers,
Southern Sun Montecasino,
Garden Court Sandton and
the Palazzo. He joins the
team headed up by gm,
Robert Jasper.
■ Melissa
Menteath
has joined the
Johannesburg
office of Serena
Hotels as
reservationist.
She was previously in the wine
industry and is being trained
up in all aspects of hotel
reservations and sales.
