PNG Air’s Chief Executive Officer changes

PNG Air’s Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Muralee Siva, has resigned as CEO of the airline after more than 5 years in the role.

Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors, Murray Woo, said “Muralee believes that after more than 5 years in the role and with rebranding and the initial stage of the re-fleeting program successfully completed, it is time for him to move on, and to allow someone with a new perspective and a different set of ideas to come in and take the Company through the next stage of its development”.Mr Siva was appointed as CEO in November 2012, and has overseen a great deal of change in the airline.  Under his watch, the airline has implemented a strategy of focussing more on regular passenger transport services, become majority owned by major PNG institutions NasFund and MRDC, re-fleeted with brand new ATR 72-600 aircraft and rebranded itself as PNG Air.

“The Board has been speaking for some time to Muralee about a transition, and agrees that this is the right time for it.  Muralee has done an outstanding job and leaves the airline with a sound foundation to grow and prosper into the future with the ongoing support of its major shareholders.”

“On behalf of the Board, the Company and NasFund and MRDC, I want to express to Muralee our appreciation of his outstanding efforts and contribution.  I sincerely thank him for his dedication to the Company, and for the skills, experience and acumen he has brought to it,” said Mr Woo.

Mr Woo announced that in the interim before appointment of a permanent CEO, the Company’s Chief Commercial Officer, Paul Abbot, will be the acting CEO.  Mr Abbot joined the Company as Manager Sales & Distribution in January 2011, and became the Chief Commercial Officer in October 2013.  In that role he has been responsible for the airline increasing its RPT sales by 18% year on year since 2012, and for the airline achieving its highest ever total revenue in 2017.

 

Pictured Paul Abbot

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