Cathay Pacific Has Appointed Ronald Lam As its New CEO

(CTN NEWS) – On Nov 9, Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd (0293. HK) announced Wednesday that Ronald Lam would replace current boss Augustus Tang as chief executive from Jan. 1.

As Cathay Pacific’s former chief customer and commercial officer, Lam joined the airline in 1996. In an airline with a three-year chief executive tenure, analysts regarded the 50-year-old as the most likely successor to Tang.

In August 2019, Tang and Lam took over Cathay Pacific’s top jobs after Chief Executive Rupert Hogg and Chief Customer.

Commercial Officer Paul Loo resigned amid mounting Chinese regulatory scrutiny of the Hong Kong carrier over its employees’ involvement in anti-government protests in the city.

The 64-year-old  former chief executive of Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company (0019. HK), managed by Swire Pacific Ltd (0019. HK), had been close to retiring when he stepped in to run Cathay at a time of crisis, sources said.

As Cathay Pacific’s new chief customer and commercial officer, Lavinia Lau, 52, will be in a strong position to eventually become the airline’s first female CEO.

In a statement, Cathay Pacific’s Chairman Patrick Healy said Lam would oversee the airline’s post-COVID recovery, introducing a third runway at Hong Kong International Airport and its dual-brand strategy with low-cost carrier HK Express.

As Hong Kong has ended onerous hotel quarantine rules for passengers and crew, the airline is looking to rebuild capacity.

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