Annual Report 2020

Airline CEOs RICARDO ISLA CEO, AirAsia Philippines Filipino Ricardo "Ricky" P Isla, male, 62, joined AirAsia as CEO for the Philippines in July 2019. He holds a degree in Business Management from the Ateneo de Manila University, and is one of the top five graduates of the Asian Institute of Management’s Basic and Advanced Management Program. Ricky has over 40 years’ experience in domestic and global operations, including retail and sales distribution, business development, marketing and innovation, and general management across diverse industries such as telecommunications, property development, and consumer and retail companies. Prior to AirAsia, Ricky worked with PLDT Global Corporation Inc, one of the Philippines’ major telecommunications providers. He spent over a decade leading the PLDT Group in international retail sales and distribution focused on expanding its customer base specifically telecommunications companies, retail distributors, private corporations and government agencies serving Filipino communities. He also led the company in expanding its retail presence in the Asia Pacific, North America, Middle East and European markets. In addition to his last role as Regional Head of Operations for the UK and Europe, Ricky held General Manager positions in PLDT’s international retail business in the US, Italy and Singapore. MICHAEL ZHOU HU CEO, AirAsia Greater China Chinese Michael Zhou, male, 49, is the CEO of AirAsia Greater China, the largest foreign low-cost carrier group in China, operating more than 800 weekly flights connecting 24 destinations on 57 international routes. Michael has more than 20 years of experience working in general management, government relations, and commercial and business development for various multinational companies, including General Motors, Johnson Controls, General Electric and Honeywell, acquiring an excellent track record of growing and turning around businesses. His most recent role prior to AirAsia was as General Manager for Honeywell Logistics Tech Co Ltd based in Malaysia. Michael holds an MBA from Loyola University Chicago and a BSc from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China. MAHESH KUMAR CEO, Asia Digital Engineering (ADE) Malaysian Mahesh Kumar, male, 36, was appointed CEO of ADE in September 2020. In this role, he leads the transformation of AirAsia’s Engineering department into a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) service provider driven by data and technology for all commercial airlines in the region. Prior to this appointment, Mahesh was the Head of Fleet & Technical Asset Management at AirAsia. During that time, AirAsia sealed two major aircraft portfolio deals with BBAM and Castlelake LP for a combined value of USD3.6 billion which won the 2018 Air Finance Journal Award and 2019 APAC Airline Economics Award. In 2015, he was appointed as a pioneering Senior Vice President, Technical of the newly set up Asia Aviation Capital Limited, the aircraft leasing arm of AirAsia. Mahesh joined AirAsia’s Engineering department in 2009 and since then has been involved in various engineering projects including defining and selection of aircraft and engine type, setting up AirAsia India Engineering and transforming Zest Airways into AirAsia Philippines. Mahesh holds a Bachelor’s in Aeronautical Engineering. 46 AIRASIA GROUP BERHAD