Buranasiri appointed AirAsia X group CEO

PETALING JAYA: AirAsia X Bhd (AAX) has appointed AAX Thailand’s former chief executive officer (CEO), Nadda Buranasiri, as its new group CEO.

He replaces co-group CEOs Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, who have both been redesignated as non-executive directors of the group.

In a statement, the group said Kamarudin and Fernandes will both continue to oversee the strategic direction of the business and its operations as directors of the group.

Buranasiri was instrumental in the establishment of AAX Thailand, the country’s first low-cost, longhaul airline.

He was recruited as CEO of Thai AAX in January 2014.

“His leadership brought the company to be profitable within three years of its operations, which will be a contributing attribute to his role as the group CEO of AAX,” it said.

Buranasiri began his career with Siam Cement Co Ltd in 1987 and moved on to join the Asia Porcelain Industry before he worked with American Express (Thai) Co Ltd.

Buranasiri then entered the advertising industry as the account group director of J Walter Thomson, where he worked until 1996, after which he moved to the music industry to take on the role of managing director (MD) at the newly-formed record label MCA.

When MCA became Universal Music (Thailand) Co Ltd in 2007, Buranasiri remained MD and directed business strategy, explored new business opportunities and partnerships until 2013.

He graduated from Assumption College Sriracha in 1982 and went on to study at John Glenn High School in Ohio, US under the American Field Service Scholarship (AFS) programme.

He then returned to Bangkok to complete a Bachelor of Business Management in Marketing at Assumption University of Thailand in 1987.