JAKARTA (TheInsiderStories) - Malaysian-based AirAsia Bhd announced the appointment of Dendy Kurniawan as AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Indonesia operations, effective immediately.
Kurniawan will oversee the growth and development of both AirAsia Indonesia and Indonesia AirAsia X. His appointment comes at a time when AirAsia is gearing up for further expansion in Indonesia.
In addition to his responsibilities as Group CEO for Indonesia, Kurniawan will serve as the new CEO of AirAsia Indonesia, replacing Captain Ridzeki Tresno Wibowo who has been serving as interim CEO since June 2016.
Pin Harris, President Commissioner of AirAsia Indonesia said, “We are delighted to welcome Dendy in his new role as we enter the next exciting phase of growth. Dendy’s leadership credentials, coupled with his extensive management experience, will be instrumental in driving our strategic plans forward.”
“As ASEAN’s largest market, Indonesia has so much to offer in terms of tourism. It is our ongoing commitment to bring in more tourists into Indonesia and contribute to the local economy through tourism and affordable air connectivity. We cannot think of anyone better than Dendy, a visionary and passionate leader, to drive the company forward as we consolidate our foothold in Indonesia,” Group Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia, Tony Fernandes said.
“I am honoured to be entrusted with this exciting new role. AirAsia’s story in Indonesia has been nothing short of remarkable. We have gone through the most challenging period of our history, but we have emerged stronger than ever. Together with the team, I am committed to continue delighting our guests in Indonesia with exceptional products and services,” Dendy Kurniawan, newly appointed CEO of AirAsia Group in Indonesia, commented.
Kurniawan first joined AirAsia in May 2014 as Indonesia AirAsia X’s Chief Financial Officer. On Dec. 1, 2014, Kurniawan was promoted to CEO, a position he held until his recent appointment as AirAsia Group CEO in Indonesia. Succeeding him in Indonesia AirAsia X will be Captain Sulistyo Nugroho Hanung, who will assume the role of interim CEO while continuing to serve in his role as Director of Flight Operations.
A J. William Fulbright Scholarship awardee, Kurniawan earned his master’s degree in international and development economics from the University of Yale, USA. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Bandung Institute of Technology, Indonesia.
Commenting on the appointment of Captain Sulistyo Nugroho Hanung, Kurniawan said, “Captain Hanung has demonstrated professionalism and commitment since he joined AirAsia more than 10 years ago. I am thrilled to have him lead and drive Indonesia AirAsia X to new levels of performance.”
Captain Sulistyo Nugroho Hanung started his flying career in 1994. He joined AirAsia in March 2005 as a captain, and was appointed as Indonesia AirAsia X’s Chief Pilot in April 2016 before being promoted to Director of Flight Operations in June 2016. (*)