Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis said that the government will be announcing the replacement of Louis Giordimaina, who resigned his post as CEO earlier this month, in two weeks’ time.
Asked if the new appointee would be given a definite contract, Dr Zammit Lewis said that details of the contract would only be announced if approved by the appointee.
When asked by this newsroom about reports that the airline’s targets will not be met, Dr Zammit Lewis said that the situation is being addressed.
When pressed to say if talks are underway with a foreign company leading to Air Malta engaging in a joint venture with another company, Dr Zammit Lewis replied in the negative.
Mr Giordimaina, who has 36 years experience in the aviation industry, had been appointed Chief Executive Officer on 1 January this year, replacing Chief Executive Officer, Peter Davies. But just eight months into the job, he resigned.
Sources close to the airline had said that Mr Giordimaina resigned because of differences with Air Malta chairman Maria Micallef, who was appointed in July.
This newsroom is also informed that Ms Micallef was not asking Mr Giordimaina to attend board meetings.
Company insiders have also told this newsroom that the deputy commercial officer appointed some six weeks ago is meant to be learning from an experienced Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). But nobody has been engaged to fill the vacancy.
So questions are being raised to why the deputy CO was appointed before the CCO, who in this case is the deputy’s tutor.
It is not only Mr Giordimaina who has left the national airline since January. Sources said that the head of IT section has also left but was replaced; however nobody replaced the head of learning and development, who also resigned.
In addition, the ground operations department is without a head as the former head of ground operations was transferred to the cargo sales division.
The Malta Independent on Sunday reported that Air Malta is currently experiencing a power vacuum, with no fewer than six top management positions vacant during what is a critical point in the airline’s restructuring plan.
Power vacuum