Willie Walsh: Lead With Authenticity To Ensure Success

Willie Walsh, former CEO of Aer Lingus, British Airways, and International Airlines Group

Willie Walsh became chief executive of International Airlines Group (IAG) in January 2011, joining from British Airways where he was chief executive from October 2005. IAG is the parent company of British Airways and Iberia. It is one of the world’s largest airline groups with more than 400 aircraft flying to 200 destinations and carrying more than 55 million passengers each year.

At British Airways, Willie guided the company to its first-ever 10 per cent operating margin in 2007 and introduced permanent changes across the airline to bring it through the worst recession in aviation history in 2008/9. He secured the airline’s long-term strategic objective to establish a transatlantic joint business with American Airlines and Iberia and set up the merger with Iberia that led to the formation of IAG. Prior to joining British Airways, he was chief executive at Aer Lingus, a position he was appointed to in the aftermath of 9/11. Faced with bankruptcy and heavy losses, Willie radically restructured the airline and this culminated in it posting an €107 million profit in 2004, making Aer Lingus the most profitable state-owned airline in the western world.

With years of experience and successes under his belt, Willie shares his expertise with the Pendulum Summit audience.