Major restructure at Monarch

Monarch has begun looking for a new CEO and has made a number of senior appointments after a major restructure of its business.

The Luton-based company has decided to consolidate its various activities into a “unified travel group”, which will be “co-ordinated through a fully functioning Group Executive Committee”.

But a spokesman assured there will be no impact on headcount as a result of the shake-up.

The appointment of a new CEO comes after the departure of Peter Brown in February this year.

Monarch executive chairman Iain Rawlinson said: “There are significant advantages to be gained from working together as a unified group, many of which were seen in the extremely challenging circumstances surrounding the recent ash crisis.

“A number of these advantages can now be recognised in the day to day running of the group’s activities, and in its operational and financial performance. This offers exciting potential for the future.”

Each division will report to the new CEO and the Group Executive through a newly appointed COO, Richard Mintern, who was previously MD Monarch Aircraft Engineering.

There will be six divisions – Scheduled Airline Activities, Charter Airline Activities, Airline Operations, Aircraft Engineering, and a new division – Tour Operations and Retail and Online Activities.

Each will be managed by an MD who will be a member of the Group Executive Committee.

Two new internal groups – the Marketing Group and the Commercial Group – have been established to coordinate group-wide management.

Former operations director Kevin George has been promoted MD Airline Operations and will join the Commercial and Marketing Groups.

Cosmos Holidays MD Stuart Jackson takes the new group-wide role of group distribution director.

Monarch Airlines MD Tim Jeans takes on additional responsibility as chair of Marketing Group, while Alan MacLean, formerly MD Cosmos Specialist Products, becomes MD of Cosmos Coach Tours, and will continue on the Group Executive Committee.

Hugh Morgan, former director of Overseas Purchasing Operations, has been appointed MD Tour Operations and Alan Murray, former MD First Aviation Ltd, takes on additional responsibility as chair of Commercial Group.

Chris Bennett will join from EasyJet on June 28 as finance director and Richard Hadfield, formerly with Opodo and Thomas Cook, joins as MD Retail and Online Activities.

The group is now undergoing a review of its brands.

By Bev Fearis