Following the assumption of Christoph Mueller as Malaysia Airlines' new CEO in May, its head said the company is leaving "the old Malaysian airlines behind" to start "an entirely new company," according to a BBC interview.
Mueller was given the huge task of rebuilding and rebounding the beleaguered airline after two disasters, which happened in a span of four months. Upon taking his post as the new boss, one of his first directives was restructuring. The company expects to make 20,000 job cuts, as previously reported by HNGN.
In his latest interview, Mueller said there should be no more bad news from management, especially for its employees. With a budget of $1.8 billion, the company is making sure that every expense counts.
Mueller's next plans involve contract negotiations with its suppliers and technology improvements, which should make the airline more efficient in cutting cost.
The CEO also revealed plans to change the company's name, but it is a choice that poses a challenge, according to CNN Money. Malaysians, apparently, remain loyal to the airline because of its name, while fliers from outside of the country continue to associate it with the two tragic incidents.
The full details of the rebranding will be revealed in September.
Mueller, who was hired by Khazanan, a state fund, previously worked for European airline companies like Ireland's Aer Lingus, Belgium's Sabena and Germany's Lufthansa. He earned the nickname "Terminator" for his expertise in cost-cutting, job cuts and restructuring.
He admits, however, that it will be hard to predict how fast Malaysia Airlines will be able to bounce back. "Everything was happening a little bit in slow motion [when I joined the company]... and that's the reason why it's important that we work on the morale," he said via CNN Money. "The fighting spirit has suffered."
