Gulf Air has announced the appointment of Lee Shave as Vice President Marketing and Sales.
When he takes on the new position at Gulf Air on 7 May, Mr Shave will oversee all aspects of the airline’s marketing and sales strategy and its implementation across the global network.
In a varied and challenging career to date, he has held several marketing, sales and commercial positions. He entered the airline industry in 1991 with an appointment in British Airways, where he worked till 1997, when he moved to Swissair as Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing in Zurich. Over a period of four years, Mr Shave played a key role as part of the executive. At the close of 2001, when he left the airline, he held the position of Executive Vice President Marketing and Product with world-wide responsibility.
Following a six-month assignment with Qatar Airways as Commercial Director, he worked as Joint Managing Director of Travel Industry Services and finally as Global Commercial Director of the STA Travel Group, before concluding the agreement to join Gulf Air in Bahrain.
“We are delighted to welcome Lee to the team. He has outstanding credentials in the travel and tourism industry. His diverse experience and proven commercial acumen will be important in consolidating our position as a world-class service brand,” says Gulf Air President and Chief Executive James Hogan.
“He also has the more vital task of driving revenue growth and increasing market penetration in a challenging and competitive environment. This will require a high level of innovation and resourcefulness.”
The appointment of the new Vice President Marketing and Sales is seen as central to the implementation of Gulf Air’s ambitious new three-year strategy, ‘Smart Airline, Successful Business’.
“We have achieved a great deal in the restructuring initiatives over the last three years,” says Mr Hogan.
“We are now recognised as a world-class service brand and have regained the confidence of the market. However moving forward we need to focus more on market segmentation that will serve our various customer groups more effectively.”
Gulf Air has justifiably high reputation alongside the leading service brands of the airline industry, says Mr Shave.
“My predecessors have achieved a great deal in repositioning the brand and developing innovative products and services that meet the needs of Gulf Air’s customers,” he adds.
“I hope to build on this achievement and look forward to working with an excellent team in driving up our key performance indicators again in 2006.”
Mr Shave has a BA (Hons) in Social Science from Kingston Polytechnic in London and a Postgraduate Diploma in Tourism Management from the University of Surrey in Guildford.
About Gulf Air
Founded in 1950, Gulf Air, owned by the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Sultanate of Oman, is the only truly Pan Gulf carrier in the Middle East region.
The regional, geographic and cultural values that the airline has embraced over more than half a century are still central to defining its brand and service ethos.
Today the airline’s network stretches from Europe to Asia and covers 50 cities in 30 countries. The fleet comprises 34 aircraft and has the distinct advantage of possessing the strongest network across the Middle East.
A platform for sustained commercial operation has been established over the past three years as part of a multi-phased turnaround programme. It has also provided a framework for a succession of innovative products and services including the unique Sky Chefs and Sky Nannies that form part of Gulf Air’s ’smart airline, successful business’ vision.
International recognition has been achieved as a result of the turnaround programme leading to numerous awards for the airline’s innovative and high quality products and services: These include:
• Best Onboard Catering in First and Business Class (Skytrax World Airline Catering Awards 2005)
• Best designed in-flight magazine (American Creativity Awards,2005)
• Middle East Leading First Class Airline (World Travel Awards 2005)
• World’s Leading Airport Lounge (World Travel Awards 2005)
• Middle East & North African Platinum Best Airline (MENA Travel Awards 2004
• Most Improved Airline (Skytrax Awards 2004)
• Middle East First Class Airline (Arabian Business Awards)
• Best new product launch for in-flight services (PAX international Readership Awards)
• Best First Class Onboard Food (Skytrax Food Category 2004)
• Best Business Class Check-in (Skytrax Check-in Category 2004)
• Middle East region’s best airport restaurant for its restaurant in Bahrain International Airport lounge (PAX International Readership Awards 2005)
Official Airline and Sponsor of the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2007
