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Air Malta Chairman Lawrence Zammit announced that Ernst Funk, the former Swiss Air functionary, will be leaving Air Malta by year’s end.
Zammit said: “Ernst Funk has been the main driver of the culture change in Air Malta. Under the strong and professional leadership of Ernst Funk a number of significant achievements have been reached and implemented in Air Malta.”
Zammit said that under Funk’s guidance the company developed a new strategy, a new vision, a new positioning and a clear definition of the core business for the company.
Funk, who always shunned the media and rarely gave interviews was also responsible for the turnaround plan, which was ultimately incorporated in a comprehensive three year business plan.
Zammit said Funk was important for the company to achieve a significant 50 per cent improvement in the operating result in the last two years in spite of the heavy negative impact of spiralling fuel prices which have doubled during the same period.
“These achievements are the result of Funk’s focused leadership and great determination which are coherent with the shareholder’s and the Board’s vision for the airline,” Zammit said.
In a brief comment Funk said the airline was on the path of recovery, so far outperforming its ambitious objectives. “However, to reach the ultimate goal of a sustainable turnaround, further possibly painful corrective measures will have to be considered particularly in view of the persistent high price of oil. In spite of heavy uncertainties, I remain firmly convinced that the turnaround is an achievable target within the time frame of the Rescue Plan,” said Funk.
“My professional challenge in Malta has always been considered by all involved as a temporary measure. I shall continue to be fully committed to my ambitious objectives in Air Malta during the coming months. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all those who have strongly supported me in my tireless efforts to prepare Air Malta to face and meet the challenges of the fully liberalised market environment especially my hard working management team, the Air Malta employees and their unions, the Chairman and members of the Board of Directors and Minister Austin Gatt,” concluded Funk.
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