Air Mauritius: Intense First Day for André Viljoen

On his first day back at the helm of Air Mauritius, André Viljoen, a 66-year-old South African who previously led the company from 2010 to 2015, returns amid a backdrop of ongoing challenges.

On Wednesday, he met with Air Mauritius's leadership team, including Kishore Beegoo and Dass Thomas, the chairman and a board member, respectively. He also spoke with Megh Pillay, the Executive Chairman of Airport Holdings Ltd (AHL), the parent company of Air Mauritius. "We had a very good first meeting. It was a significant reunion. I am confident that we can work together for the benefit of Air Mauritius, the AHL group, and the country," said Megh Pillay, highlighting their "common views on what needs to be done," which bodes well for fruitful collaboration. André Viljoen was unavailable for comment in the afternoon.

With a background in accounting and finance, he has over 45 years of experience in the aviation industry. After starting his career at British Airways (Comair), he rose through the ranks at South African Airways, being appointed CEO in 2002 before resigning in 2004 amidst financial difficulties. He joined MK in 2009 as CFO and became CEO a year later, spearheading a modernization strategy focused on the Asian market and fleet renewal. However, his contract was not renewed after the political shift in 2014.

In 2015, he took charge of Fiji Airways, which was then struggling. Over ten years, he transformed it into one of the most successful regional airlines: doubling the fleet, establishing a recognized training academy, and creating a robust business model that allowed it to withstand the pandemic without public support. By 2024, Fiji Airways ranked 14th globally in the Skytrax rankings, up from 102nd in 2015.