The board of Air France has accepted the formal resignation of chief executive Jean-Marc Janaillac, describing his action as “courageous” while praising the results he has achieved at the airline since taking office in 2016 as having “enabled Air France-KLM's successful turnaround and growth”. The board has also now adopted transitional governance arrangements, which places Frédéric Gagey, Air France-KLM's chief financial officer, as the Group's chief executive officer. Franck Terner, the chief executive officer of Air France and Pieter Elbers, the CEO of KLM, will serve as deputy group CEOs. The three individuals will comprise the Comité de Direction Collégiale (CDC) a management committee that will collectively oversee and monitor the Group functions and coordinate strategic matters between the Group and its airlines.
Anne-Marie Couderc will act as non-executive Chairman of the Air France-KLM Board of Directors.
"The Board of Directors has complete faith in the ability of the Management Committee and the Group Executive Committee to manage the group's activities during this transitional period,” stated Couderc. “The Board also asks them to continue the work already under way on Air France-KLM's medium-term strategic plan, a task which will be handed over to the Group's future governance. For my part, I will pay particular attention to strengthening the group's cohesion throughout this period.”
Air France stresses in the statement that this transitional governance structure is established for the “shortest-possible period required to effectively complete the succession process for the roles vacated by Jean-Marc Janaillac”. The Air France-KLM Board of Directors has furthered confirmed that, regarding the ongoing labour dispute at Air France, the Air France CEO “does not have a new mandate to take decisions that would jeopardise the growth strategy approved by the Air France-KLM Board of Directors. The Board is aware of the difficulties currently being traversed by Air France and requested to be kept regularly informed of the company's labour situation.”