BANGKOK, 28 November 2022, Thai Airways International has named Chai Eamsiri its chief executive officer effective 1 February 2023.
The CEO Selection Committee, including appointed restructuring plan administrators, selected Eamsiri from 53 internal and external candidates who applied for the top job at THAI. Government regulations allowed only Thai nationals to apply.
The recruitment specifications and evaluation were based on the company’s urgent need to find a leader to continue the challenging task of rehabilitation and also the process of privatisation.
With 37 years of experience and knowledge of Thailand’s aviation industry, Chai Eamsiri demonstrated what the committee called “suitable attributes and qualifications for the position in every dimension.”
His financial and accounting literacy was quoted as a crucial factor and a top priority if the new CEO is to achieve the objectives set out in the Rehabilitation Plan. It calls for new loans and financial discipline to boost profits and develop a commercially viable route network. He will also have to ensure aircraft and engine purchases or leases comply with restructuring plan criteria and are transparent.
Eamsiri has worked for international organisations and was a member of the special working group overseeing business restructuring initiatives in 2020. He has also played a vital role in the company’s rehabilitation plan’s implementation over the past two years.
At present, he holds the post of THAI chief financial officer.
The airline described his appointment as crucial to building trust and confidence among the airline’s creditors and business partners.
