George gets power boost in BA rejig

Martin George, BA’s director of marketing, has been given more responsibility in a shake-up of the company’s management team.

George will now oversee BA’s 80-strong communications department, which handles external and internal communications, including company newsletters. He has taken over from head of group communications Simon Walker, who is on a two-year secondment to Buckingham Palace as communications secretary.

George will also take charge of eBA, the group’s online business division, overseeing marketing and e-commerce. The division is led by head of e-commerce Pat Gaffey.

The reshuffle follows the departure of commercial director Carl Michel. According to BA chief executive Rod Eddington, Michel is leaving “to pursue new career opportunities”.

Eddington adds: “The task for us is to continue to focus as a united and integrated team on producing the success we all want to see.”

George was recently reported to have urged aircraft manufacturers to design a replacement for Concorde, even if the airliner eventually returns to service. He is also chairman of Air Miles, which lost its managing director, Judith Thorne, earlier this month.