PRESIDENT JAMES MICHEL APPOINTS NEW AIR SEYCHELLES BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President James Michel has last weekend formally appointed a new Board of Directors, ahead of the first meeting of the newly constituted board on Friday, made necessary by the acquisition of 40 percent of the company shares by Etihad, the national airline of Abu Dhabi. The following line up of board members has been confirmed from Victoria / Seychelles as follows:
Chairman of the Board: The Hon. Minister for Home Affairs and Transport Joel Morgan
Vice Chairman of the Board: Etihad Airways Chief Strategy and Planning Officer Mr. Kevin Knight
Members: Ambassador Maurice Loustau Lalanne, Principal Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Steve Fanny, Principal Secretary for Finance, Trade and Investment
Mr. Jean Wheeling, Seychelles Private Sector Representative
Mr. Duncan Naysmith, Vice President Financial Reporting Etihad Airways
Mr. Basaam Al Mosa, Vice President Corporate Investments and Subsidiaries, Etihad Airways
According to the information obtained by this correspondent earlier on, President Michel said that while a ministerial appointment to the board of a Government-owned company is no longer the norm in Government practice in respect to principles of good governance, an exception has been made in the case of Air Seychelles. President Michel said verbatim: Given the strategic importance air access plays within the economy and therefore at this point in time, it is necessary to have high level Government representation on the Board to ensure the safeguarding of the countrys key economic interests.
As shown, Etihad Airways now holds three of the seven positions on the Board of Directors including the Vice Chairmanship while the Government of Seychelles has appointed four members to the board, also holding the Chairmanship, which reflects the 60 : 40 shareholding between the two partners. Good fortune to the new board members and happy landings to the airline.
