Paris, France - March 26, 2013, Paris, France - Air France-KLM announced that Jean-Cyril Spinetta will step down as the group's chairman and CEO, and Leo van Wijk will step down as vice chairman and deputy CEO, effective July 1, 2013.
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Mr. Spinetta began his career as assistant lecturer and later central administration attache (1961-70). After moving to the Ecole nationale d'administration, he held a number of positions within the National Education Ministry. He was Auditor of the Conseil detat (1976-78), he worked in General Secretariat of the Government (1978-81), and he was head of the Information Department of Prime Minister Pierre Mauroy (1981-83).
Mr. Spinetta was also chief of staff to Michel Delebarre when Minister for Employment, Minister of Social Affairs, Minister of Transport and later Minister of Equipment (1984-86 and 1988-90), charge de mission and industrial advisor to the Office of the President of the Republic (1994-95), prefet (1995), technical advisor to the cabinet of Edith Cresson, EU Commissioner (1996), and expert for France seconded to the European Commission (1997).
After a period as President and CEO of Compagnie Air Inter (1990-93), Mr. Spinetta has been Director and President of Air France (since 1997), President of Air France-KLM (since 2003) and President and CEO of the Air France-KLM group (since 2004). He has also been President of the Board of Governors of the International Association of Air Transport (IATA) since 2004 and Director of Compagnie de Saint-Gobain since 2005. He is a graduate in public law and from the Institut d'etudes politiques of Paris.
Mr. van Wijk was first appointed to Aegon’s Supervisory Board in 2003, and his current and last term will end in 2015. He is also Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Air France-KLM S.A. He is also ice-Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Randstad Holding N.V., Chairman of the Governing Board of Skyteam and Board member of NOC*NSF.
The company also announced that Alexandre de Juniac will succeed Jean-Cyril Spinetta as chairman and CEO of the Air France-KLM Group.
Mr. de Juniac was Auditor then Master of Petitions and Deputy Secretary General of the Conseil d’Etat (State Council); Technical advisor then Assistant Director, responsible for issues related to communication in the cabinet of Nicolas Sarkozy at the Department of Budget; and Director of planning and development at Thomson SA.
Mr. de Juniac was also Sales Director of Sextant Avionics; Director of the economic interest grouping CNS Avionics, a joint venture between Sextant Avionics and Dassault Electronics; Secretary General of Thomson-CSF which became Thales in December 2000; SVP in charge of the Aviation Systems division at Thales; and General Manager for Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America at Thales.
Mr. de Juniac was also Private Secretary to Christine Lagarde, Minister for the Economy, Industry and Employment. He served as Chairman and CEO of Air France for the last two years. He is a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique de Paris and the Ecole Nationale de l’Administration.
The company also announced that Peter Hartman will succeed Mr. Van Wijk as vice chairman of the board.
Mr. Hartman served as Deputy KLM President and CEO; Managing Director of KLM NV (1997); Executive Vice P Engineering & Maintenance KLM; EVP Human Resources KLM; and EVP Ground Services KLM.
The company also announced that it has appointed Frederic Gagey to take over from Mr. de Juniac as chairman and CEO of Air France.
Mr. Gagey started his career at the French Bureau of Statistics (INSEE) and the French Ministry of Finance. From September 1994 until April 1997, he served as Vice President Budget & Control at the French domestic carrier Air Inter. After the merger between Air Inter and Air France in April 1997, he became Vice President for Privatization and Financial Communication for Air France.
In June 1999, Mr. Gagey was named Air France Vice President Finance. Mr. Gagey joined the KLM Board of Managing Directors on January 1, 2005 and became Chief Financial Officer of KLM N.V. Mr. Gagey is also a member of the Supervisory Board of Connexxion Holding N.V. Last year he was named Air France Chief Financial Officer. ■
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