Willie Walsh has announced he is to retire from International Airlines Group (IAG), officially on June 30, and will be stepping down as Group CEO and Chairman of the Board on March 26. Walsh is responsible for the creation of IAG through the merger of British Airways with Iberia, followed by Aer Lingus, Vueling, low-cost hybrid Level and, shortly, to include Spanish carrier Air Europa.
Irishman Walsh began his long relationship with the airline industry as a pilot with Aer Lingus back in 1979, rising through the ranks to head the Irish carrier in 2001 where he successfully dealt with various challenges presented by the then new low-cost carrier Ryanair. In 2005 Walsh became CEO of British Airways.
IAG will now be run by current Iberia CEO Luis Gallego who began his career in the Spanish Air Force. He has a long history indirectly connected with IAG carriers having worked with Iberia franchise partner Ad Nostrum between 1997 and 2006. He then transferred to Clickair just prior to its merger with Vueling. In 2006 Gallego was made CEO of Iberia Express before becoming Iberia CEO in 2013 and also its Chairman in 2014.
