HK Express gets first female CEO as Mandy Ng steps into the hot seat at Hong Kong budget airline
- Ng was previously overseeing the integration of the low-cost carrier after its acquisition by Cathay Pacific
- She replaces Ronald Lam, who returns to parent airline after only a month at HK Express to become chief customer and commercial officer
The small club of female CEOs running airlines just got bigger on Monday as Mandy Ng Kit-man was appointed to the top job at the Cathay Pacific budget airline HK Express.
Ng will become the first woman to lead a local airline.
The appointment means that all three Cathay Pacific-run airlines are headed by Chinese nationals.
Augustus Tang Kin-wing heads up Cathay Pacific, while sister carrier Cathay Dragon is led by Algernon Yau.
Ng, described as a veteran of the airline business, having been with Cathay Pacific for 17 years, was appointed to the top job with immediate effect, the company said, as Ronald Lam Siu-por returned to the parent airline, amid the sudden management upheaval at Hong Kong’s flagship airline group.
Lam is now Cathay Pacific’s chief customer and commercial officer and the airline’s joint second-in-command. He was HK Express CEO for around 30 days but will now take on the chairman’s role at the budget carrier.