Ryanair has announced that Eddie Wilson, the Irish low-cost carrier’s Chief People Officer, is to succeed Michael O’Leary as CEO of Ryanair Holdings’ largest airline, Ryanair DAC. O’Leary will remain as chief executive of the wider-reaching Ryanair Holdings. Wilson has been with the company since 1997 when he joined as head of personnel and is a man who O’Leary stated “has made a huge contribution” to the company’s growth.
Previously he had worked at Gateway 2000 as its human resource manager. Confirming the news, Mr. O’Leary told staff in a note that Wilson would take up his new role immediately, “and this will start a transition process over the next three months of taking over from myself.” However, Wilson is taking over at the helm of Ryanair DAC during a period of uncertainty created predominantly through impending strikes by Irish pilots which the group has so far successfully halted through a High Court order, massive uncertainty over Brexit, and problems created to their 2019 and 2020 operating schedules and growth plans through the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX.
Currently, Ryanair has 135 of the 737 MAX variant on order and had anticipated deliveries would start in April this year. With little sign of the 737 MAX taking to the skies before year end, Ryanair has warned that up to 900 pilot and cabin crew positions may go after the summer season.
