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Virgin Nigeria gets CEO
Akin Olukunle
The yet-to-be incorporated new national carrier, Virgin Nigeria, has appointed a seasoned aviation administrator from the Virgin Atlantic group, Mr. Simon Harford, as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Harford, who has held several senior positions in the aviation industry across the world, including Britain and Germany, will be responsible for the management of the new company, which holds a share capital of $50 million.
The new helmsman, who is currently working with a team of 70 experts, said the new company was presently working on its incorproation, adding that Virgin Nigeria was also still processing its required documents, including the Air Operator's Certificate, with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority with the records of the Nigeria Eagles Airlines Plc, which the Federal Government put in place early 2004.
The government had early 2004 named the South African Airways as the preferred bidder for the new flag carrier named Nigerian Eagles Airlines before it was dumped.
"The government will in due course, in the right way, transfer the processing to us in a way that the NCAA and other concerned parties are happy with. After this transition between NCAA and us, they will give us the necessary approvals. This is not an unusual practice across the world," he noted.
Harford further revealed that the core investors for the national carrier, Virgin Atlantic, and the government, would soon select a leading investment bank in Nigeria to ensure the placement of the 51 per cent equity meant for the Nigerian public and institutional investors in the nation's financial market. Virgin Atlantic Limited, the strategic investor and technical partner in the Nigerian flag carrier holds 49 per cent of the total equity.
He said the new company would, in a couple of weeks, begin the recruitment of people with the right qualifications. He put the number of those to be recruited to be in thousands.
�My preference will be recruiting staff among Nigerians because they have got the qualifications and better understanding of the Nigerian market. But if those persons could not be gotten from Nigeria, we'll go outside the country. I have the responsibility to get the right persons, with the right scale and qualifications - the people who are acceptable to all investors," he added.
Similarly, Harford said his management team "may not necessarily be Nigerians."
"It will be a blend of Nigerians and other qualified professionals from outside. I just want those with fantastic experience, with profound understanding of Nigerians," he stressed.
The PUNCH, Friday, October 22, 2004
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