New Delhi: Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA) has appointed Chen Sy Yen, who was earlier overseeing operations at Germany, Switzerland and Austria region for the airline, as the new general manager for India, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.
Chen Sy Yen takes over from David Lim, who served as the general manager of India for the airline since 2016.
"Since India is a key international market for the Airline, in his new role as General Manager India, Mr. Chen is entrusted with the responsibility of nurturing SIA’s global vision while ensuring the fruition of the company's business objectives in the country," the airline said in the statement.
Yen, who has worked close to three decades with Singapore Airlines, has held key leadership positions with the airline. He began his career with Singapore Airlines in 1993, when he joined as an administrative officer in the cargo division, and went on to serve in several senior managerial positions in Singapore and across international markets like Japan, Malaysia, USA, and Europe.
The appointment comes at a time when airline operations have been adversely affected due to the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, which has resulted in a muted travel demand, apart from border restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus.
According to industry group, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), airlines operating in the Asia-Pacific (Apac) region, including Singapore and India, are expected to report combined losses of $31.7 billion in 2020 because of the adverse impact of the pandemic on travel demand. Meanwhile, total capacity utilized by airlines in the Apac region during 2020 is expected to fall 55.1%, with total passenger traffic plunging 62% this year.
"Despite the current covid-19 scenario, the aviation industry in India exhibits immense promise, and as General Manager India I look forward to contributing my expertise to the continued success story of the airline," Chen Sy Yen said in a statement.
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