IATA STATEMENT: Incorrect Media Reports

Dubai, UAE, August 29, 2017:  There have been a number of media reports incorrectly stating that the CEO of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al Baker has been appointed CEO of IATA. This is incorrect. IATA’s Director General and CEO is Alexandre de Juniac. 

At the 73rd IATA Annual General Meeting held in Cancun, 4-6 June, IATA announced that Goh Choon Phong, CEO of Singapore Airlines, had assumed his duties as Chairman of the IATA Board of Governors (BoG) for a one-year term, effective from the conclusion of the meeting. IATA also announced the BoG agreed to appoint Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, to serve for a one-year term as Chairman of the IATA BoG from June 2018, following Goh’s term. 

The IATA Board of Governors is composed of airline CEOs. The Chair of the IATA Board of Governors rotates on an annual basis. Each Board Member can offer to serve as Chairperson and the Chairperson is elected by the Board. He or she then serves in their personal capacity, representing the IATA membership as a whole.