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Discuss this article (4 Comments)Bjorn Naf steps down as Gulf Air CEO
by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Thursday, 02 July 2009
NAF DEPARTS: The Swiss executive has announced he will leave Gulf Air soon. (ITP Images)
Gulf Air CEO Bjorn Naf is leaving the airline to “pursue other interests”, it was announced on Thursday.
The Swiss executive will leave the post soon, making way for Samer Majali, who himself resigned as CEO of Royal Jordanian Airlines days prior to this unexpected announcement.
In the interim, Gulf Air chairman Talal Al Zain will manage the carrier temporarily as executive chairman until Majali takes charge.
Related: The Björn ultimatum
When contacted by Arabian Business, a Gulf Air spokesperson declined to elaborate on the reasons for Naf’s departure.
Since taking charge of Bahrain’s national carrier in 2007, Naf has been heavily criticised by politicians claiming he was failing to resurrect the ailing airline. His job involved cutting costs, routes and employee numbers to stem $1m daily losses.
“On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Björn Näf for his leadership over the last two years and we wish him well in his future endeavors,” Al Zain said.
“Moving forward, we have important plans for the future of Gulf Air and we believe Samer is the right leader to take the airline forward as we move into the next phase of our strategy to rebuild the business.”
He added Majali was an ideal appointment following his work at Royal Jordanian. During his tenure, the carrier secured membership to airline alliance oneworld, and carried out a privatisation.
Majali also served as chairman of the International Air Transport Association and president of the Arab Air Carriers Organisation.
READERS' COMMENTS
Disclaimer: The views expressed here by our readers are not necessarily shared by ArabianBusiness.com or its employees.
Gulf Air - Any amount of CEO changing is not going to help!
Posted by Aamir, Dubai, UAE on Tuesday 7 July 2009 at 10:45 UAE time
Having lived and worked in Bahrain for 3 years and worked in the GCC for the past 16 years, I can very well say that Gulf Air is one of the worst airlines operating in the GCC, in terms of over all service. As mentioned by somebody in this forum, the problem is with staff at all levels (Majority of the staff are incompetent and inefficient). I had a few friends in GF who have moved on to Emirates or Qatar Air because they could not stand the lousy work culture. My friends use to tell me that it is the only airline where even expat underperformers are retained because they have connections or due to reasons that I cannot write here. The Bahraini staff also don’t care because they know that GF cannot sack locals for any reason, and they also have a trade union to back them.
I am waiting to see CEO replacement headline in another year or so!
Posted by Aamir, Dubai, UAE on Tuesday 7 July 2009 at 10:45 UAE time
Having lived and worked in Bahrain for 3 years and worked in the GCC for the past 16 years, I can very well say that Gulf Air is one of the worst airlines operating in the GCC, in terms of over all service. As mentioned by somebody in this forum, the problem is with staff at all levels (Majority of the staff are incompetent and inefficient). I had a few friends in GF who have moved on to Emirates or Qatar Air because they could not stand the lousy work culture. My friends use to tell me that it is the only airline where even expat underperformers are retained because they have connections or due to reasons that I cannot write here. The Bahraini staff also don’t care because they know that GF cannot sack locals for any reason, and they also have a trade union to back them.
I am waiting to see CEO replacement headline in another year or so!
To Bahrain Expert - the Arab game with foreign brainpower
Posted by The Don, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Monday 6 July 2009 at 17:46 UAE time
What a funny nick name and what a rude comment. First of all there is no official announcement that who was sacked. Knowing Gulf Air, the case may have to do with the government inability or readiness to give him support on certain critical elements of his recovery plans for the airline which for any CEO means there is no success and best thing to do is to leave and cut short the career damage that will come with the failure of his plan
Secondly sacking a CEO is not an exclusive Arab Game nor it was exclusively developed for them. The fact is they have (in Bahrain and GCC) learned it from our good friends from UK who taught people in how to play these corporate politics
Posted by The Don, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Monday 6 July 2009 at 17:46 UAE time
What a funny nick name and what a rude comment. First of all there is no official announcement that who was sacked. Knowing Gulf Air, the case may have to do with the government inability or readiness to give him support on certain critical elements of his recovery plans for the airline which for any CEO means there is no success and best thing to do is to leave and cut short the career damage that will come with the failure of his plan
Secondly sacking a CEO is not an exclusive Arab Game nor it was exclusively developed for them. The fact is they have (in Bahrain and GCC) learned it from our good friends from UK who taught people in how to play these corporate politics
Bahraini Shortsightedness
Posted by Bahrain Expert - the Arab game with foreign brainpower, London, UK on Monday 6 July 2009 at 13:53 UAE time
The sacking of the Gulf Air CEO is part of a normal pattern of doing business in Bahrain (and other GCC countries, I might add). A lot of politics and intrigues amongst the (local Arab) shareholders are going on. They hardly know what the business is all about but they all want to have a say (because they can). Finally the CEO is sacrificed, a new future scapegoat is hired (the new CEO) and the game starts anew. And the Arab view of things is in order.
Posted by Bahrain Expert - the Arab game with foreign brainpower, London, UK on Monday 6 July 2009 at 13:53 UAE time
The sacking of the Gulf Air CEO is part of a normal pattern of doing business in Bahrain (and other GCC countries, I might add). A lot of politics and intrigues amongst the (local Arab) shareholders are going on. They hardly know what the business is all about but they all want to have a say (because they can). Finally the CEO is sacrificed, a new future scapegoat is hired (the new CEO) and the game starts anew. And the Arab view of things is in order.
Gulf Air and Samer
Posted by The Don, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Friday 3 July 2009 at 13:54 UAE time
From my experience as an employee with Royal Jordanian almost 12 years ago, Samer is a good CEO but would also wish him all best of luck in his new position as my experience with Gulf Air as one of my clients tells me that changing the CEO won't solve the airline problems.
Gulf Air needs fundamental change internally at workforce level following the fundamental change at the shareholders level to unlock the potential of the a long terms successful airline. First battle is job security for under performing staff and fighting internal pressure groups.
Posted by The Don, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Friday 3 July 2009 at 13:54 UAE time
From my experience as an employee with Royal Jordanian almost 12 years ago, Samer is a good CEO but would also wish him all best of luck in his new position as my experience with Gulf Air as one of my clients tells me that changing the CEO won't solve the airline problems.
Gulf Air needs fundamental change internally at workforce level following the fundamental change at the shareholders level to unlock the potential of the a long terms successful airline. First battle is job security for under performing staff and fighting internal pressure groups.
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