Air France Gets First Female Boss, Joins 3% of Airlines Globally With Female CEOs - By Ewos IRORO

Anne Rigail, Air France CEO

The Air France Board of Directors has appointed Anne Rigail as CEO of Air France, following their meeting on December 12, 2018 and the departure of Franck Terner. Her appointment came on the heels of a recommendation by the Acting CEO of the Air France KLM group, Benjamin Smith.

According to IATA, her appointment has added Air France to a unique list of barely 3% of airlines globally with female CEOs at the helm of affairs.

Rigial’s appointment takes effect from December 17, 2018 and she comes to the new position with a well textured industry experience under her belt having previously been Executive Vice President of Customer at the company.

She began her career in 1991 when she joined Air Inter and later became Head of Customer Services for Air France at Paris-Orly in 1996. She then rose to the position of Director of Passenger and Baggage Connections at Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) in 1999 and subsequently became Head of Customer and Baggage Products for ground operations.

Rigail became head of the Paris-CDG Hub Operations Control Tower in 2005, and was later appointed as Vice President of ground operations at Paris-CDG in 2009. She then rose to the position of Executive Vice President of In-flight Services in charge of cabin crew in 2013 and was named Executive Vice President of customer in 2017; a post she held until her recent appointment.

Speaking on Rigail’s appointment, Chairwoman of the Board of Air France KLM, Anne-Marie Couderc, said: “I would like to thank Benjamin Smith for the outstanding work he has accomplished during his time as acting CEO of Air France. Under his leadership, our airline has rapidly taken decisive steps, renewing constructive social dialogue and proposing a new executive governance structure as seen with the arrival of Anne Rigail. I wish Anne every success in her new position, for the benefit of both Air France and the Air France KLM Group. I am very pleased that she has accepted this very exciting new challenge.”

An elated Benjamin Smith also added: “I am delighted that Anne Rigail is to become the new CEO of Air France. Anne is a strong professional in the airline industry. Throughout her career, she has always paid particular attention to employees while implementing the many projects and transformations she has led, and placed the customer at the heart of everything she does. With the support and commitment of every single employee, I am confident we can rise to the challenges for Air France today, ensuring service excellence to all our customers. I have complete faith that Anne will succeed in transforming Air France. Together with Pieter Elbers, president and CEO of KLM, the Air France KLM Group is taking an important step in its reorganisation to re-conquer its market position.”