PETALING JAYA: AirAsia Bhd has appointed Amit Bhatia as an independent and non-executive director effective yesterday. The 34-year-old British citizen previously worked at Credit Suisse First Boston in London. He is also the founder and senior managing partner of the Swordfish group of companies and chairman of Hope Construction Materials, the UK's largest independent supplier of concrete, cement aggregates and asphalts. He is currently vice-chairman of English Premier League football club Queens Park Rangers and chairman of its UK charitable programme QPR in the Community Trust which reaches 100,000 children per year. Amit is the son of Arun Bhatia of Telestra Tradeplace Pvt. Ltd., which owns a 21% stake in AirAsia India. http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1072741 This has got to be good news, cementing the relationship between TF and AB.
just thinking that roller. tony wouldn't appoint him to the board if Amit was thinking of leaving QPR?
Looks like the Malaysians and the Mittals really get along, which can only be good news for us. Air Asia have only just rebooted their Indian business after a false start. India is one of those countries, like China, where having a significant 'local' stake in ownership somehow miraculously clear away acres of red tape and bureaucratic hassle that 100% foreign owned companies are subjected to. Have to say though, Air Asia will have some way to go to compete with Virgin Atlantic for customer service. Sitting in their business lounge in Heathrow terminal 2, even though I'm flying Delta. It's brilliant, waiting for my eggs benedict to be delivered to my table, will ponder a spa treatment after that. And lots of natural light, which UK airports are the worst in the world for. Only bettered by Qantas (Sydney) first class lounge in my experience. Its a hard life.
Extremely good to hear this news. If the back office is working fine, it makes life a hell of a lot easier for Harry and the team to do their job. Nothing worse than board members suffering in-house fighting .................. kills off everything, regardless of how good the team is.
This is great news. A happy ship all around at present leading to TF's much desired stability. If Harry makes it to November of this year, he will have been our longest serving manager since........wait for it..... Ian Holloway (2001 to 2006)!!! Sir Neil was 22 months (so technically, Oct this year would do it for Harry who was appointed in November 2012).
This is the best thing I've heard since the final whistle at Wembley. When TF bought the Goons out, I felt TF and the Mittals were slightly strained bedfellows, since the Mittals had tried to buy the Goons out earlier and been rebuffed. When Park was unveiled as a new signing (great day that was - not), Amit's body language made him look a real outsider. So, if Air Asia and Mittal people are establishing good personal and commercial relationships, then that has to be positive for the club imo...
With the financial bonanza Old Oak Common may provide all parties they'd be stupid to undermine it now...
