Rajesh Punja new Fiji Airways Chairman

The director of the Punja Group of Companies Rajesh Punja is the new Chairman of Fiji Airways.

Fiji Airways Group shareholders have announced changes to the company’s Board of Directors following its AGM yesterday.

Outgoing Chairman Nalin Patel and Director Stefan Pichler were both farewelled by the shareholders and replaced on the board by Rajesh Punja and Permanent Secretary for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Shaheen Ali.

Three existing Board Directors will continue for another term.

They are retired executive Aslam Khan, Solicitor General Sharvada Sharma and Fiji Airways Managing Director and CEO Andre Viljoen.

Making the announcement on behalf of major shareholder the Fijian Government, Attorney General and Minister for Public Enterprises and Civil Aviation, Aiyaz Sayed‑Khaiyum thanked the outgoing Directors for their service to Fiji’s National Airline.

Sayed-Khaiyum says Nalin Patel has been a Director of Fiji Airways since 1993, and Chairman since 2006.

He says during Patel’s Chairmanship, Fiji Airways has rebranded into a proud National Carrier which operates profitably.

The Minister says 2016 will be an important year for the airline, marking 65 years since its existence.

He says with the addition of new aircraft like the incoming A330‑300 and new routes like Singapore from April, Fiji Airways will continue to grow.

The Fijian government has 51% shares in Fiji Airways Group, Qantas has 46.32%, Air New Zealand has 1.94%, the government of Kiribati has 0.27%, the government of Tonga has 0.27%, the government of Samoa has 0.12% and the government of Nauru has 0.08% of the shares.