In the seven years he’s led the company, Air New Zealand chief Rob Fyfe has cemented its reputation as a Kiwi icon.
He’s stepping down from his position on December 31. And despite being highly regarded in the avation industry, in a fascinating interview with The Australian, he says he’s not keen on another appointment at an airline.
Apparently, he takes the view that having put his heart and soul into Air New Zealand, it wouldn’t be ethical for him to compete against it.
“I’ll be an Air New Zealander through and through for the rest of my life,” he said.
All executives claim to be throughly committed to the company they work for, but most are willing to work for its competitors should it be better for their career. Which makes Fyfe’s declaration interesting to say the least.
Fyfe spent three years as Air New Zealand’s CIO befor being promoted to CEO. A one-time air force man, his varied career before that included a stint at NAB and Bank of New Zealand, as well as work with New Zealand Telecomm.
Myriam Robin is a reporter for SmartCompany and its sister site LeadingCompany. She has degrees in economics, international studies and journalism. She likes writing about businesses taking risks and doing new things.
