Air France-KLM finance chief named CEO after union standoff

[May 15, 2018]  PARIS (Reuters) - Air France-KLM <AIRF.PA> on Tuesday promoted finance director Frederic Gagey to interim chief executive and named Anne-Marie Couderc as non-executive chairwoman in transitional appointments days after the former CEO resigned in a standoff over staff pay.
 

The new chief executive will not have a mandate to take decisions that would jeopardize the growth strategy approved by the board of directors, the company said in a statement. A group of three top officials will take key decisions collectively.

The interim leadership of Europe's second-largest network carrier by revenue will have to handle French unions emboldened by the exit of former CEO Jean-Marc Janaillac, who announced his resignation earlier this month when staff rejected a pay offer.

Fifteen days of strikes this year have cost the group some 400 million euros ($479 million)..

(Reporting by Cyril Altmeyer, Victoria Bryan)

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