Savile quits Air Partner role
DAVID Savile, the chief executive of aviation services provider Air Partner, yesterday denied rumours that he will replace Andy Harrison as Easyjet’s chief executive when the latter steps down in June.
Air Partner announced yesterday that Savile will leave at the end of March. Mike Stoddart, an analyst at Daniel Stewart, said yesterday that he had received an email from Savile, which indicated that he was “happy to quash the rumour which has been going around the City that he is going to Easyjet,” and that the reason he was leaving was to allow younger people through.
Savile has worked for Air Partner for 27 years, serving 17 of those as its chief executive. In a press release, he said that he was leaving to “pursue further interests.”
Stoddart said he had been surprised by the announcement of the departure, but that Air Partner had experienced “a rough couple of years with the downturn… their profits have come down a lot in the last couple of years.” However, he said that the company’s track record and strong financial position meant Savile has “got a good CV to take with him”adding that he was going into a “fairly small pond”.
The market took the news calmly with no shares traded. Air Partner’s board said in a statement that the company’s current chief operating officer, Mark Briffa, will replace Savile when he leaves.