Air New Zealand has said that chief financial officer Jeff McDowall will become acting chief executive after Christopher Luxon vacates the role on 25 September.
The airline has said that McDowall is not seeking permanent appointment to the role.
Chairman Tony Carter says the Board is highly satisfied with how the global search for a new chief executive officer is progressing.
Carter will retire as Air New Zealand chairman at the annual shareholders’ meeting on 25 September and be replaced by current director Dame Therese Walsh, who is leading the search process on behalf of the board.
Commenting on the changes, Dame Therese said: “We are fortunate to have a talented executive team who are united in their support of Jeff to lead them and the business as acting chief executive officer during this interim period. Jeff has held senior management roles across the airline for more than a decade and is well known to investors, stakeholders and key partners, such as the travel trade and unions."
McDowall’s previous roles at Air New Zealand include group general manager corporate finance and group general manager commercial. Prior to Air New Zealand he worked across a variety of industries in Asia, the United States and the United Kingdom.
General manager corporate finance Stephan Deschamps will take over as acting chief financial officer on the Executive on September 26.