India’s second-largest airline by passengers Jet Airways India Ltd’s chief executive officer Cramer Ball has resigned from his position to pursue a new opportunity in Europe, for family reasons, as per a stock market disclosure.
Ball’s resignation will come into effect from 29 February, 2016.
Gaurang Shetty, who has been with the company for over 19 years and is currently serving as a whole-time director, will become acting chief executive officer.
Shetty will now lead the operating committee in managing the day-to-day operations, under the supervision of the board chaired by Naresh Goyal, the airline said in the statement.
In May 2014, Ravishankar Gopalakrishnan, who had taken charge as acting CEO when Gary Kenneth Toomey stepped down as CEO, had quit. At that time too Shetty was made in-charge.
Ball had taken charge as CEO on 25 September 2014. His appointment came four months after Gary Kenneth Toomey stepped down following a seven-month stint with Jet Airways.
Toomey was appointed CEO of Jet Airways in mid-June 2013 when Nikos Kardassis resigned after serving his second term with the carrier as CEO from October 2009 to May 2013.
Gulf carrier Etihad Airways PJSC currently owns a 24 per cent equity stake.
Ball, an Australian national, is a certified accountant and has previously held positions in Ansett Australia, Etihad Airways, Gulf Air, Kendell Airline and Quantas. He was also formerly CEO of Air Seychelles.
Before joining Air Seychelles, Ball was regional general manager for Asia Pacific South and Australasia at Etihad Airways, which holds 40 per cent equity in Air Seychelles.
Meanwhile, Italian airline Alitalia has appointed Cramer Ball as a member of its board of directors, designated to be appointed as CEO from early March 2016.
Etihad picked 49 per cent in Alitalia in December 2014.
