Aero names ‘Pope Paul’s pilot’ as new CEO

Adeniyi Adegbonmire, receiver manager for Aero Contractors, has appointed Fola Akinkuotu as substantive CEO, as part of the second phase of the restructuring process of the airline.

Akinkuotu flew Pope John Paul II in Nigeria during his visit to Nigeria in 1998.

According to Adegbonmire, the second phase of the intervention was to appoint a CEO after 15 days of the tenure of Tunde Fagbemi of Springfountain, the receiver manager representative (RMR).

Akinkuotu, who was the director general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) between August 2013 to March 2014, takes over with immediate effect, following a brief intervention led by the RMR.

According to Aero, Akinkuotu is a pilot, as well as flight and aircraft engineer, who was responsible for the start up and running of IRS Airlines as pioneer managing director/COO.

Thereafter he was part of the start-up team for Arik Airlines. Akinkuotu was technical pilot and training manager for Virgin Nigeria, NCAA designated type rating examiner becoming the director flight operations and later executive director international operations in Virgin/Air Nigeria.

“In addition to his technical skills, he has extensive administrative experience as, founding Rector/CEO of the International Aviation College Aviation Ilorin, before becoming the Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA),” Aero said in a statement.

“With over forty, 40, years experience in the aviation industry, he has held previous senior management positions in a number of airlines. Starting out as an aircraft engineer, where he was in charge of the Presidential fleet, he then qualified as pilot and flight engineer turbo jet.

“He has over 13000 hours of jet time flying in commercial airlines. In 1998, he was entrusted with the honour of flying Pope John Paul II in Nigeria during his pastoral visit to Nigeria.”

Akinkuotu is also said to be a qualified licenced aircraft engineer (Airframe and Engines), airline transport pilot licenced with type ratings on several commercial jet airplanes.

He is a turbo jet licenced flight engineer and associate member of Society of Licensed Aircraft Engineers and Technologists with certificate in total quality management from Lagos Business School and type rating instructor B737 from Oxford Aviation Academy, UK.

Akinkuotu said he is pleased to be given the opportunity to turn around Aero Contractors, saying “AMCON has given us a lifeline which is an opportunity for us to succeed.”

“This option is a huge opportunity we must take as there’s no other option. I believe we can make Aero Contractors a success story.

“Aero is a premium Nigerian legacy brand, and I am determined to ensure that this airline continues to serve the Nigerian market efficiently, reliably and with its safety record intact.”

Following a court order obtained by Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Tunde Fagbemi of Springfountain was appointed RMR on February 5.

He is to begin the process of turning around the Aero Contractors with a view to handing over to a substantive CEO.