SAA gets ‘specialist’ CFO

South African Airways (SAA) yesterday announced a number of key appointments, including a new chief financial officer (CFO), to fill the critical skills gap at the troubled airline as it forges ahead with implementing its turnaround strategy.

Bob Head has been appointed interim CFO, effective from Wednesday, April 11.

SAA said Head has extensive management experience in different senior management roles, both locally and internationally.

Head is a specialist in turning businesses around and resolving problems.

He is also a former chief executive of a number of companies and a finance and group human resources director.

The appointment comes after SAA last month suspended CFO Phumeza Nhantsi and former chief executive Musa Zwane, following unspecified allegations made against them in a forensic probe of the state owned airline.

Following these suspensions, SAA appointed Nona Sonjani as acting CFO and Wellington Nyuswa to replace Zwane as acting chief technical officer.

SAA chief executive Vuyani Jarana said the airline was aggressively implementing its turnaround plan, aimed at returning the company to financial sustainability, with leadership driving the implementation of the strategy.

“The urgency to bring skills into SAA to stabilise leadership cannot be overemphasised. We have always maintained that we will adopt a three-pronged strategy to bring skills into SAA,” Jarana said.

“Filling the critical skills gap is top priority, especially in the financial, business and commercial specialist areas of the airline.” – ANA

We have always maintained that we will adopt a three-pronged strategy to bring skills into South African Airways.