"Comair will continue to benefit from Erik's contribution," says Comair chairman Piet van Hoven.
Comair announced on Tuesday that CEO Erik Venter has resigned from the company to pursue his own interests with effect from July this year.
Erik has spent 23 years with Comair, 13 of which he served as CEO.
In a statement, Comair chairman Piet van Hoven said that Erik, who is only the fifth CEO in the company’s 73-year history, leaves Comair in a “much stronger position than when he started”.
“When Erik took over Comair was almost exclusively dependent on its airline businesses which are notoriously subject to seasonal and economic vagaries. He conceived and led our diversification strategy. Other group businesses now contribute nearly 30 percent of profit before tax, a proportion that is growing.”
Piet said that Erik has been “a visionary, considered and hugely respected leader and a wonderful person to work with”. He expressed that Erik will be missed, but that he leaves behind a strong and experienced executive management team, “which is another credit to his foresight”.
“For years to come, Comair will continue to benefit from Erik’s contribution in terms of the course he has set for the business and the team he had appointed and nurtured to deliver it and ensure another 73 years of consecutive profits,” says Van Hoven.
The company has not yet decided on a successor.
