KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airlines Bhd has appointed Paul Simmons as its chief commercial officer, effective Dec 1, 2015.

In a statement yesterday, Malaysia Airlines chief executive officer Christoph Mueller said Simmons will focus on re-establishing the national airline’s brand as a “leading airline and developing service that will exceed our customers’ requirements and expectations” in his new role.

Simmons brings with him over 28 years of experience in sales and marketing, with the last eight in the airlines industry. Prior to this, Simmons was chief commercial officer of British low-cost regional airline Flybe. He was also regional general manager of easyJET (2009 to 2013), another British low-cost airline, as well as its head of brand marketing, products and distribution (2006 to 2008).

Before joining aviation, Simmons spent five years in the hotel industry. He was executive vice-president (VP) of sales and marketing of Oberoi group of hotels in India (2004 to 2006), and VP of Global Intercontinental Brand for Intercontinental Hotel Group in the United Kingdom (2001 to 2003).

Simmons started his career in the fast-moving consumer goods industry with Procter and Gamble, SC Johnson Wax, and Kellogg Marketing and Sales Co, all in the UK.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on July 23, 2015.