Cruz to succeed Williams as British Airways chief

IAG has announced that British Airways executive chairman Keith Williams will retire in April 2016, and will be succeeded by Vueling chief Alex Cruz.

The airline group adds that BA’s chief financial officer Nick Swift will also step down in April, and will be replaced by Steve Gunning, who is presently the chief executive of IAG Cargo.

Cruz was launch chief executive of Spanish low-cost carrier Clickair and took the helm of Vueling after the merger of the two Barcelona-based carriers in 2009. IAG acquired full control of Vueling in 2013.

Williams has been chief executive of British Airways since the formation ofIAG in 2011.

IAG says that it will announce further appointments in due course.