Bamboo Airways’ Board of Directors on May 21, 2023 approved the resolution on appointing Nguyen Minh Hai to the post of CEO of the air carrier, starting May 24, 2023 after approving the letter of resignation of Nguyen Manh Quan.

Hai, 51, has a bachelor’s degree from the Hanoi Economics University majoring in tourism business administration. He has 25 years’ experience in aviation.

Hai once worked for Vietnam Airlines, the national flag air carrier, where he was deputy CEO, from April 2015 to January 1, 2019, and he also worked for Cambodia Angkor Air.

Hai’s predecessor was Nguyen Manh Quan, who took the office of CEO in July 2022 after two years of holding the post of deputy CEO.

After Covid-19, Bamboo Airways obtained high revenue levels in the second half of 2022. By the end of the first quarter 2023, the capacity of the carrier’s fleet had nearly reached 100 percent.

Most recently, NNA Asia of Kyodo News cited sources as saying that Bamboo Airways is planning to invite two former high-ranking executives of Japan Airlines to Bamboo Airways’ board of directors.

According to NNA Asia, Hideki Oshima, former director of international relations and aviation alliance of Japan Airlines, would join Bamboo Airways and hold the post of a high ranking executive, while Masaru Onishi, former president of Japan Airlines, would undertake the role of senior advisor to Bamboo Airways’ board of directors.

Japan Airlines is the second largest airline in Japan.

Nguyen Ngoc Trong, president of Bamboo Airways, recently said as the carrier is undergoing a strong reshuffle after FLC divestment, Bamboo Airways is ready to take serious moves if necessary to prepare for the "battle in the international playing field".

At Bamboo's General Meeting of Shareholders on May 9, its shareholders agreed to issue 1.15 billion new shares, thereby increasing its charter capital to VND30,000 billion. It is highly possible that Le Thai Sam will become the biggest shareholder, holding the controlling stake of the airline.

Earlier, the FLC board of directors made public a resolution on approving the transfer of its shares in Bamboo Airways to Sam, a member of the board of directors of the airline.

FLC will transfer over 400 million shares, or 21.7 percent of total shares, to Sam, in exchange for the debt settlement of the involved parties.

Sam said from 2022 to April 10, 2023, he lent VND7.727 trillion to the airline, both in principal and interests.

Manh Ha