He takes the place of Capt. Stanley Ng, who led the carrier through the busy post-COVID era.
Nuttall, a British national and veteran of multiple airlines across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, was most recently CEO of SriLankan Airlines, where he led a successful turnaround and boosted national tourism.
He will be joined by a trusted advisor to Tan, Atty. Carlos Luis Fernandez, who was promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer, forming a new leadership duo for PAL.
Nuttall is the first foreigner to become PAL president. This was made possible by changes to the Public Service Act in 2022 that lifted restrictions on foreign executives in sectors like aviation.
Major shareholders' view
“Appointing Richard Nuttall to Philippine Airlines is an important part of our medium-term and long-term strategy of building a robust management team and growing our business internationally,” said Lucio Tan III, president of PAL Holdings and grandson of the elder Tan.
“As president, he will play an active role in bringing a global dimension to the Heart of the Filipino, and I look forward to working closely with him in the days and months ahead,” Tan III added.
Turnaround expert
Before SriLankan Airlines, Nuttall was also an executive board member of the SkyTeam Alliance, where he “helped reform the Alliance’s governance structure to accelerate decision-making and deepen airline collaboration.”
He was previously the chief commercial and strategy officer during the turnaround of Royal Jordanian.
He also served as PAL’s senior commercial adviser in the wake of the Asian Financial Crisis in 1999.
“I am honored to join Philippine Airlines at such a pivotal time. The airline has accomplished so much in recent years, and I look forward to building on that progress as we explore new avenues for growth,” said Nuttall.
While remaining profitable since its successful exit from Chapter 11 bankruptcy during pandemic, PAL has encouraged challenges growing its earnings while costs are on the rise.
The net income of parent firm PAL Holdings fell 58 percent to P7 billion in 2024 from the previous year, hurt by rising costs and underused capacity.
Stanley Ng moves up to the parent firm
Ng was PAL president and chief operating officer since January 2022. He moves up to PAL Holdings as vice president and member of the board of directors.
“I warmly welcome Mr. Nuttall to the PAL Group. I believe that under his leadership, we will sustain the momentum we’ve built over the past years. Now, I’m ready to take on this new role with renewed focus and commitment,” said Ng.
PAL’s commitment
“Philippine Airlines has always been committed to working with the best people across all levels, and I welcome Richard Nuttall as a worthy addition to an already formidable team. I am confident that he will create and develop sustainable growth for PAL,” said Dr. Lucio C. Tan.
Miguel R. Camus has been a reporter covering various domestic business topics since 2009.
