Insiders said Nuttall quietly touched down in Manila a few days ago. The coming weeks will be a busy period of pre-orientation before he formally takes the helm at Asia’s oldest carrier on May 29.
Hopes and expectations are high. Nuttall is the first foreign leader of the 84-year-old flag carrier, which has been owned by taipan Lucio Tan since it was privatized in the early 1990s.
PAL insiders admit it wasn’t an easy process, with a months-long, rigorous search to find the airline’s next president.
We’re told at least six other strong contenders were screened for the job before Nuttall was chosen.
In the end, he stood out for his 30 years in aviation and “calm” leadership style, which was deemed a good fit for the Philippines’ business culture.
“He spent a lot of time in Asia so he knows the Asian culture very well,” an insider said. “We think it’s important knowing he fits into the organization and understands Filipino culture”.
Nuttall brings a global résumé, having held top roles at SriLankan Airlines, Royal Jordanian, and Bahrain Air.
He also had a brief stint as PAL’s senior commercial adviser during the aftermath of the 1999 Asian Financial Crisis.
“His credentials speak for themselves,” the insider said.
Miguel R. Camus has been a reporter covering various domestic business topics since 2009.
