EVA names female president in new management shift

EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空) will appoint for the first time in its 10-year history a woman as president in the company's second top management shake-up in eight months.

Taiwan's No. 2 airline revealed yesterday that it will replace its current president, Daniel Wu (吳景明), who has served in the position since the last reshuffle in April, with company insider Kitty Yen (嚴若琪), according to company spokespeople.

Wu, who used to be president of UNI Airways Corp (立榮航空) -- an affiliate of EVA -- is expected to be promoted to an unspecified position within the group, with Yen taking over the position on Jan. 1.

A graduate of Chinese Culture University's journalism department, Yen joined the Evergreen Group (長榮集團) in 1975 at the general entry level in its marine arm but has climbed through the ranks, including a spell as the personal secretary of Evergreen Group founder and Chairman Chang Yung-fa (張榮發).

Yen currently serves as vice president of the airline and president of the Evergreen Sky Catering Corp (長榮空廚), while she has also filled the executive vice president's spot at EVA's cabin crew department, overseeing around 1,300 employees.

Also as part of the shakeup, Yeu Chong-ho (游長和), chairman of the Evergreen Airline Services Corps (長榮航勤), will take over the position of general manager from Cheng Chin-chuan (鄭金泉), once his promotion is approved by the board and stockholders early next year.

No reason was given for the shakeup.

Observers commented that Yen's tough cost-cutting measures such as forcing air crews to sleep two to a room on layovers and her creative business plans, such as introducing major brand name snacks into airline meals, may have attracted attention amid tough financial times.

Comparisons with the appointment of Christine Tsung (宗才怡) as the first female president of EVA's arch rival China Airlines Co (華航) last year are bound to arise.

One observer rebuffed such comparisons, saying that Tsung was an industry outsider whereas Yen has senior management experience in the industry.