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Albert Brunner to step down as CEO of BIAL
Written By Devesh - 21 November, 2008
BIAL Bangalore Citizen Reports
Cross posted from my blog
After 7 years, Mr. Albert Brunner will not be extending his contract with Bengaluru International Airport Ltd. (BIAL) which comes to an end in early 2009, and will step down as Chief Executive Officer.
Mr. Brunner who joined BIAL as CEO in 2002 is synonymous with the new Bengaluru International Airport. He is expected to take up another overseas assignment with the Unique Airports organisation, which operates Zurich airport, and is a partner in the BIAL consortium.
BIAL Chief Operating Officer Marcel Hungerbühler, will take over as CEO on February 1, 2009.
Marcel Hungerbühler has been the Chief Operations Officer of BIAL over the last two years and was instrumental in the start-up process and the operations of the airport. He brings with him 38 years of experience from the aviation industry and has held various high level management positions with Swissair and Swissport prior to joining BIAL.
Despite my differences with Mr. Brunner, about HAL airport, knowing him for over 4 years, he is a person, I have tremendous respect and admiration for. At a Rotary club meeting I was attending, a member asked Mr. Brunner, "What has your India experience taught you ?"; after some thought, came the answer -- "Patience"
With true grit, tenacity, and patience, over the last 7 years, Albert Brunner has guided the new airport project to a reality called Bengaluru International Airport. BIAL will miss his leadership. I wish him continued success and achievements.
Marcel Hungerbühler is an equally wonderful person. Very practical, empathetic, pragmatic, cooperative, and totally down to earth; but, I caution anyone, who would think Marcel is a pushover. He is tough as they come.
Albert has built the airport, Marcel is the perfect successor to run it. Congratulations Marcel. God bless with all the success.
COMMENTS
mcadambi - 23 November, 2008 - 04:27
Does Jamnagar ring a bell? In case it doesn't - i suggest you read about it.
And please stop pontificating and lecturing how we need to accept "expert" opinion.
He did mention that if the CA were to be amended, it would hurt India's investment climate. What he failed to mention was his own shortcomings. Of course, not many would do that on media. The CA is in full violation of the competition laws of India.
His consortium wasn't even half or even 1/10th as able as the GMR consortium that developed Hyderabad airport.
That he messed up with cargo is so evident that Bangalore Custom Clearings House Agent's Association was very critical about it.
Even today, for the land and resource availability that BIAL has, it is not even able to match the infrastructural facilities that Dulles International Airpot in Washington, DC, which has about 12 million passengers per annum, quite similar to BIAL now.
My hope is that HAL airport is revived back and hopefully a third airport for Bangalore in the area between Kanakapura Road and Mysore Road is considered.
I sincerely hope we stop building new airports for short distance travel, and instead improve other modes of transport.
Flying isnt the only way of traveling, and its about time Train and Bus services got a HUGE uplift. And, I strongly belive that Train and can be a great competitor and even thrash out air travel in the short distance sector. It is a sleeping giant.
For one, I dont belive that Mysore needs an airport. A high speed train link between BIAL, Cantt. and Mysore would do the trick. Have a checkin facility at mysore, and board at BIAL.
Hence, I strongly agree with Brunner when he talks about government apathy. Not only is Bangalore badly connected to the airport, but so is the rest of the state. I would expect a railway station, a bus station to open with BIAL, and the three modes to work together. Areas like Tumkur, Hampi, Mysore, Coorg, Arsikere and everyone can benefit from such connectivity.
Imagine, only 1 airport per 150 kms radius in india, and a Brilliant train and bus support system to follow it up....Aahh- Heaven!
In a way, the 150 kms radius around BIAL is a blessing and hopefully it will leads us to greener, cleaner and efficient alternative. I see no reason why airports need to spread like rabbits.
Re-opening HAL, IMO, is an excuse. It doesnt solve the problem, and is more like a pair of blinds we put on ourselves.
Personally, I would thank Mr Brunner, for the airport - and I belive it is one of the MOST functional airports in the country and I look forward to more from BIAL!
bayern - 22 November, 2008 - 04:43
And in all fairness, Mr.Brunner has done a good job with BIAL. All this criticism on BIAL is biased and fear monger tacticts used by a certain group with socialist agenda to get HAL reopened. These people need to grow up and act their age before pointing finger at Mr.Brunner and others.
Rail Was Necessary Even Before Air & Roads
Naveen - 22 November, 2008 - 05:00
Narayan - I agree with you entirely.
In this country, the attention has aways been on air & road travel when what was really necessary was mass inter-city transport (also, intra-city transport) with clean energy-efficient electric trains for the billion plus population.
The per-capita pollution & environmental damage with air travel are too high as is well know, but nobody bothers. Our ignorant politicians & silly industry captains imagine that waving their arms from an aircraft door is some kind of an ultimate stratospheric acheivement & newspaper reporters jostle with one another to click their pictures to rush it to the press.
Similarly, the hot-shot office executives take great pride in coming to office by car, only to leave it parked there all day, consuming fuel needlessly, causing pollution, occupying road space during their commutes & causing inconveniences to pedestrians & public transport. They chase away bicylists, imagining that they have much more rights on the streets than other more civilized users, & at times, even shout them out of their way - what arrogance !
In Europe, train travel is the most preferred mode, & caters to every class with good facilities. Government policies should have aimed at promoting travel by train by providing several different classes, including premium services with clean, well equipped coaches, platforms & lounges in rail stations, similar to airports. Instead, rail travel is considered suitable only for poorer classes here, & nothing is being done to improve services & the image of travel by trains.
6-lane & 8-lane roads & highways are being built & the demand for multi-level garages is never ending - all this will soon be a waste as within the next 20-25 years, oil is bound to become more & more scarce & expensive. International environmental safeguard mechanisms are sure to hit us through huge pressures & costs & we might end up pulling down our flyovers to make way for pedestrians, bicyclists & public transport.
I wonder when we will get leaders who can foresee what's coming & take steps to be prepared for the same, not to mention the demanding, selfish masses who need to re-orient themselves.
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