The business association of São Miguel and Santa Maria islands expressed concern over leadership changes, stating that such shifts “in a sensitive context” could “introduce instability in a process requiring continuity, rigor, and predictability.”
Rui Coutinho, the president of SATA’s administration, submitted his resignation on Tuesday. The Azorean Government (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) announced it will appoint CFO Tiago Santos as the head of the aviation group.
José Manuel Boleiro stated, “The chairman of SATA’s board of directors sent us a resignation letter. This is not a surprise, as, as stated in the letter, we had an understanding at the time of his appointment that his objective was to complete the share capital divestment for Azores Airlines’ privatization and the restructuring process, which also involves handling.”
Today, the CCIPD expressed regret over the internal nomination plan driven “by immediate cost-saving criteria.”
The association argued, “SATA’s historical experience shows that such decisions, when not aligned with a strategic vision, often result in higher costs for the region, whether due to the lack of alignment between different areas or loss of integrated management capacity.”
Azorean businesses believe the change “appears to focus solely on Azores Airlines’ privatization, overlooking the complexity and multifaceted nature of the SATA group, which includes SATA Air Açores, handling, airfield management, the Holding, and other essential areas for regional air transport.”
CCIPD emphasizes the importance of considering “the group’s overall impact and not just one of its components” in any changes.
The business association’s leadership insists on “a serious reflection” on the management model of the Holding and its companies, “avoiding the repetition of the same managers in entities with clearly different missions, objectives, and management needs.”
“Good governance recommends specialization, differentiation, and structures adjusted to each unit’s nature,” it advises.
The organization reiterates its “full availability” to collaborate on solutions that promote stability, long-term vision, and efficiency in SATA’s management for the region’s economy and the Azorean people.
Rui Coutinho was appointed SATA president in June 2024 after Teresa Gonçalves’ resignation on April 9 of the previous year, who succeeded Luís Rodrigues in April 2023.
Tiago Santos, who joined SATA’s administration in July 2024, is an economist and previously served as a board member and CFO of Metropolitano de Lisboa, Carris, Transtejo, and Soflusa from 2015 to 2016. He also held these roles at Oitante from 2016 to 2018.
The administrative shift at SATA coincides with the ongoing privatization of Azores Airlines, the group company responsible for flights between the Azores and external destinations.
The Atlantic Connect Group consortium submitted a proposal of 17 million euros on November 24 to acquire 85% of Azores Airlines’ share capital, with the Azorean Government requesting the European Commission to extend the privatization deadline to December 31, 2026.
The proposal is currently under review by the competition’s jury, led by economist Augusto Mateus.
