‘Rock star CEO’ says he’s too young to receive gong
Former Air New Zealand boss Rob Fyfe says he’s drawn to problem-solving, even if that means being faced with a crisis from time to time.
Fyfe, who has just been made a companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business and tourism, has managed his fair share of crises over the years, from the crash of an Air New Zealand plane that killed all on board to advising the Government on the coronavirus pandemic.
‘‘I really enjoy muddying my way through a really really difficult issue,’’ Fyfe said.
He said his leadership style was people-centric, and during a crisis he always put people first by engaging, supporting and enabling them.
This year Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appointed Fyfe as a business adviser on the Covid-19 recovery. He said he very much aligned with her crisis management approach and the two were ‘‘kindred spirits’’ in that regard.
Fyfe said he never really planned his career, he just took opportunities when they came up.
In 1995 Fyfe, 33 at the time, was interviewed for an article which ran in the Evening Post. The former air force officer and engineering graduate had recently been made marketing manager at the Bank of New Zealand, a role previously held by trailblazing businesswoman Theresa Gattung.
In the article Fyfe says he thrives in changing environments and, rather than planning his career, he gravitates to where the opportunities are. He said he still operated by that ethos today.
Fyfe had spent most of his career working for New Zealand companies and to be recognised with a New Year Honour was ‘‘a thrill’’, he said.
At 59, he says he feels like he still has plenty to offer and is too young to be receiving a New Year Honour.
In 2003 Fyfe started as Air New Zealand’s chief information officer. His appointment came not long after the airline was bailed out by the taxpayer with a cash injection of $885 million after the collapse of subsidiary Ansett Australia.
From the outset Fyfe was heavily involved in a strategic review of Air New Zealand’s business, which included a costcutting plan to save $245m a year, costing some 1500 workers their jobs.
Within two years he would be named as chief executive, a role he would hold until his eventual departure from the airline in 2012.
During his time at Air New Zealand Fyfe faced periods of severe turbulence including mass layoffs, staff strikes, the closure of the airline’s heavy aircraft maintenance operation, the global financial crisis and the loss of an Airbus A320 in a crash off southern France that killed five New Zealanders and two German pilots in 2008.
In 2009 Fyfe also said sorry on behalf of Air New Zealand to the families of the victims of the 1979 Mt Erebus disaster for their treatment in the aftermath.
On the operational front he introduced a new fleet of Boeing 777-300ERS, ordered a new fleet of Boeing 787-9 aircraft, introduced the world’s first lie flat economy class Skycouch, got an Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia alliance across the line, took a stake in the Aussie carrier, and oversaw the redesign of Air New Zealand’s cabin uniforms.
After announcing he was leaving Air New Zealand Fyfe was famously dubbed by airline insiders as a ‘‘rock star CEO’’.
After Air New Zealand, Fyfe joined the board of merino clothing brand Icebreaker before going on to become its chief executive.
He’s sat as a director on the board of Michael Hill International, Air Canada and Antarctica NZ among others. He was also appointed as an independent adviser to the Government on plans for the re-entry of the Pike River Mine.