Tata SIA Airlines Ltd-run Vistara has appointed Leslie Thng as the Chief Executive Officer, effective October 2017, subject to approval from the Government of India. Thng will succeed Phee Teik Yeoh, who is currently the CEO of Vistara. This appointment is part of the airline’s succession strategy. 

In an internal email (which People Matters has seen) to the employees of Vistara, Phee wrote saying it’s not a farewell but wanted to share the news to everyone by him.

In the email, Yeoh writes that he will return to SIA to take up a senior appointment. Yeoh, a SIA veteran, is credited with successfully leading Vistara since its establishment, overseeing its launch and rapid growth starting its first commercial flight in January 2015.

Leslie Thng is currently working as the Chief Commercial Officer of Budget Aviation Holding (BAH), a Singapore Airlines-owned holding company consisting of TigerAir and Scoot.

Thng, who started his career in SIA, has held many senior positions in the airline, and has significant experience across international markets and various businesses. He will lead Vistara in its next phase of growth, including international operations, building on the solid foundation and momentum achieved by the airline under the leadership of Yeoh, the company said.

Vistara is expected to complete the mandatory 20-aircraft fleet by next year after which it can fly abroad, competing with Air India Ltd and Jet Airways and other foreign airlines. Vistara’s first international flight is expected to start by end of 2018.