Air New Zealand’s Greg Foran to step down

Air New Zealand announced that its chief executive Greg Foran will be stepping down after five years at its helm, though he will be staying on until October.

The announcement was made today, 6th March, in the wake of Air New Zealand’s ongoing struggles over global supply chain disruptions, as well as issues regarding engine maintenance.

Airline chair Dame Therese Walsh expressed gratitude for Foran’s leadership especially through a slew of challenging times.

Walsh said: “While these challenges impact our operations almost daily, Greg’s relentless focus and global profile have been instrumental in mitigating the consequential disruptions on our customers.”

Air New Zealand has not, as yet, named a successor for Foran, though it has initiated a global search for its next CEO.

Leadership in demanding times

Foran led the Kiwi flag-carrier throughout some of the most turbulent times in its history.

In recent years, the airline faced numerous challenges unique to New Zealand, mostly due to its location on the globe. 

The outgoing chief executive joined the airline just as a global pandemic came into play, and his tenure was marked by equipment shortages, as well as the grounding of a significant number of aircraft.

Foran has also steered the company through greater regional competition from the likes of Qantas and Virgin Australia, and was the one who ordered the retrofit for Air New Zealand’s Dreamliners; the latter is set for completion later this year.