Annual Report 2019

TONY FERNANDES Tan Sri Tony Fernandes is one of Asia’s most recognisable entrepreneurs, best known for co-founding AirAsia which has gone on to democratise air travel in the region. In December 2001, Fernandes, together with Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, Dato’ Pahamin Ab Rajab and Dato’ Abdul Aziz bin Abu Bakar, acquired struggling domestic airline AirAsia and, with the help of Conor McCarthy, relaunched it as a pioneer of budget travel in Asia, building AirAsia into the world’s best low-cost carrier. Fernandes studied in the UK, and qualified as an Associate Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in 1991, then as a Fellow Member in 1996. An accountant by training, he began his career in Virgin Group before returning to Malaysia as Warner Music Group’s Vice President for Southeast Asia before venturing into the airline business. He has received numerous honours and awards over the course of his career. These include the Honour of the Commander of the Order of the British Empire, conferred by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2011, and the Commander of the Legion d’Honneur, awarded by the French Government for outstanding contributions to the economy of France through the aviation industry. He is also a Non-Independent Non- Executive Director of AirAsia X Berhad. Non-Independent Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Appointed: 30 March 2018 Malaysian Membership of Board Committees: None TAN SRI TONY FERNANDES 56, Male 02 AIRASIA GROUP BERHAD ANNUAL REPORT 2019 47 LEADERSHIP