AIGLE AZUR has announced the appointment of Mr Frantz YVELIN to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer. He is replacing Mr Michael Hamelink, who is leaving the company.
At the age of 41, Frantz YVELIN has strong managerial experience in the air transport sector, which he acquired mainly in France and the United States. Passionate for aviation, Frantz YVELIN took the controls of an aircraft for the first time at the age of 15, prior to obtaining his Professional Pilot’s license at 21. He is qualified to fly the Airbus A320, Boeing B737, Boeing B757/767, Cessna Citation and McDonnell Douglas MD80.
As a renowned entrepreneur, Frantz YVELIN created the last two independent scheduled airlines in France: L’Avion* (2006) and then La Compagnie Boutique Airline (2013), but also Dreamjet Participations (2013), the French holding company that has been owning La Compagnie Boutique Airline since its creation and which acquired 100% of XL Airways France in 2016.
Frantz YVELIN first worked as an IT consultant (GFI Informatique, CS Communication & Systèmes) before creating and co-managing L’Avion*. Following the sale of L’Avion* to the British Airways group in 2008, he occupied the functions of Director of Strategy and Development at OpenSkies. He then focused on consultancy in the airline industry for 3 years. At the same time, he taught for several years at the ENAC (Module to Masters) and also participated in the development of an airline testing and delivery company based in the USA. Finally, this scheduled long-haul flights specialist, much appreciated by his teams, was President of La Compagnie Boutique Airline and the Dreamjet Participations holding company for nearly four years, until the end of 2016.
Frantz YVELIN says: “I am very pleased to take control of the oldest private airline in France, Aigle Azur. All our shareholders, whom I would like to thank for their support, have thus chosen an entrepreneur, and it is a very great honour for me to follow a path that was pioneered for more than 70 years, first by Sylvain Floirat, and then by Arezki Idjerouidène. As of today, I am clearly committed to a logic of a quick return to profitability and a bold development for the second airline of our country. Numerous challenges await us, but I see them as an incredible opportunity for joining our forces, and it is with the whole Aigle Azur crew, both on the ground and in the air, that we will rise to meet them.”
* L’Avion became OpenSkies in 2009 following its takeover by British Airways
ABOUT AIGLE AZUR
Founded in 1946, Aigle Azur is the second largest French airline. The company has a rich history and is celebrating its 70 years of existence in 2016. Throughout over seven decades, Aigle Azur has never ceased to connect people, continents and cultures, whilst remaining faithful to its values of hospitality, communication and friendliness. Today, the company serves Algeria, Portugal, Mali, Senegal and Guinea out of six French cities. Aigle Azur is owned by Weaving Group, Lu Azur and HNA Group. In the year ending March 31, 2015, Aigle Azur generated a turnover of 290 million euros. Each year, Aigle Azur transports nearly 2 million passengers aboard its fleet of Airbus A319 and A320s, thanks to nearly 300 scheduled flights available each week.