KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) chief executive Peter Bellew denied today suggestions that state wealth fund Khazanah Nasional or even government interference in managing the flag carrier were the reasons for his surprise resignation.
Bellew also confirmed he is leaving MAB to be chief operating officer (COO) of Irish budget airline Ryanair from December 1.
“People always ask me how do I cope with government interference. There has been none for me. Zero interference,” he said in a media statement.
“So why am I leaving. Negaraku. Love for country is pulling me back to Ireland,” he added.
The Irishman explained that he initially turned down the Ryanair job offer when he was contacted about it last month, but reversed his decision two weeks ago because “in life we can really never say never”.
“It is Ireland’s greatest company. They need my help and there is a big challenge. It is a form of national service,” he said of the chance to return to Ryanair.
Bellew said he had been given a tough job to turn around MAB but described the company as “special… Not just an airline but one of the earliest symbols of the vibrancy of this amazing country”.
He also said that the national brand is now “revived from China to the UK and down to Australia” and expressed confidence that the airline can reach 5 per cent profit again though he acknowledged that much more effort is needed.
He also expressed a desire that airline’s branding be maintained as “people love what Malaysia Airlines stands for”.
Bellew replaced German Christoph Mueller who quit as MAB CEO just a year after being hired to oversee its transformation and turnaround.
The Irishman was Ryanair flight operations director until 2014. He joined MAB as its COO in September 2015 and was appointed CEO in July 2016.
