“With the public announcement of the privatization process and everything it will entail, naturally a complex and long process, it would not be best for TAP for the accumulation [of roles] to remain unchanged,” stated Luís Rodrigues in an internal note obtained by Lusa.
Rodrigues, who took over the leadership of TAP in April 2023 following the dismissal of Christine Oumières-Widener (CEO) and Manuel Beja (‘chairman’) by the then PS government, will continue as the accountable manager and CEO of the airline. However, the chairmanship of the Board of Directors will be handed over to Carlos Oliveira, a former Secretary of State under the government led by Pedro Passos Coelho (PSD/CDS-PP).
Luís Rodrigues explained that holding three positions was due to “exceptional circumstances” during the second phase of TAP’s Restructuring Program, implemented with a public intervention of 3.2 billion euros to rescue the airline from the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CEO welcomed Carlos Oliveira, expressing the team’s readiness to work with him and noting that the new chairman, with his “extensive résumé,” would “certainly bring value to the company.”
The Government announced on Thursday the approval of the decree-law marking the start of TAP’s privatization process, anticipating the opening of up to 49.9% of the airline’s share capital to private investors, with 5% reserved for employees.
