MAYBE JHO LOW CAN HELP: FOREVER USED AS A CONDUIT FOR UMNO’S MONEY-MAKING SCHEMES, MAS WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO KEEP TOP FOREIGN TALENT TO TURN IT AROUND

KUALA LUMPUR – Barely a month ago speculation was rife that Peter Bellew was going to rejoin Ryanair, after its chief operations officer resigned following a controversy over flight cancellations and errors in the company’s pilot rostering practices.

However, Bellew publicly denied it and said he was staying put in Malaysia Airlines Berhad, where its turnaround would be the “greatest achievement” of his life.

But now he has indeed done it — quit MAB and rejoined Ryanair as its COO.

He is the second chief executive officer to quit MAB in just over two years. His predecessor Christoph Muller also quit suddenly in April 2016, citing family matters at the time; but only to join Emirates a few months later as its chief technology officer.

Both hold impressive credentials and experience in the field. Bellew has over 20 years of experience in the aviation industry, and was Ryanair’s director of flight operations before joining Malaysia Airlines.

His predecessor Mueller, a veteran of a turnaround effort at Aer Lingus Group Plc in Ireland was brought in by Khazanah in 2015 to head a US$1.5 billion turnaround project that included cutting 6,000 jobs and axing unprofitable routes.

The two men, who are recognised as turnaround experts for airlines were willing to quit to take a lesser job. What gives?

A source in the airline laid the blame squarely on Khazanah Nasional for bypassing the board all the time, and that the sovereign fund had micromanaged Bellew and Mueller.

As owners of Malaysia Airlines, Khazanah must address this issue.

In Bellew’s case, the MAB board claims it did not know that he was quitting as CEO, but did Khazanah know?

It was also said that Khazanah drew up an elaborate smokescreen to mask Muller’s reasons for resigning.

Could it be that these two foreign experts could not get along with their bosses either at the board level or at Khazanah?

Could it be that they were not allowed to carry out their turnaround plans?

The board or Khazanah must explain why they could not hang on to their CEOs.

The answer better be good because Mueller and Bellew are straight-talkers and are unlikely to hesitate in addressing the situation.

MAB will have a tough time hiring a new CEO especially if they want a foreigner.

Until the industry and the Malaysian public gets a proper answer, the airline may remain leaderless for quite a while.

– Malay Mail