SriLankan Airlines CEO Richard Nuttall appointed President of Philippine Airlines

Philippine Airlines (PAL) has appointed British national Richard Nuttall, the current CEO of SriLankan Airlines, as its new President, effective May 29, 2025.

Nuttall becomes the first foreign national to lead Philippine Airlines in its 83-year history, marking a bold step in the airline’s push for international expansion and leadership renewal.

Nuttall brings with him decades of global aviation experience across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. At SriLankan Airlines, he is credited with steering the carrier back to operational profitability and revitalizing Sri Lanka’s tourism sector amid economic hardship. Under his leadership, the airline launched a strategic plan to double its fleet to 50 aircraft within five years, in support of Sri Lanka’s goal of earning $10 billion annually from tourism by 2030.

He also served on the Executive Board of the SkyTeam Alliance, where he played a key role in reforming its governance structure to improve collaboration and decision-making.

Nuttall will report to Dr. Lucio C. Tan, Chairman and CEO, and Lucio C. Tan III, President and COO of PAL Holdings Inc. He will be supported by Carlos Luis Fernandez, who takes over as Executive Vice President and COO on the same date. Nuttall succeeds Captain Stanley Ng, who has served as PAL President and COO since January 2022. Ng will transition to new strategic roles as Vice President of PAL Holdings Inc. and member of PAL’s Board of Directors.

Expressing confidence in Nuttall’s leadership, Dr. Tan said, “I welcome Richard Nuttall as a worthy addition to an already formidable team.” Lucio Tan III added, “His appointment is a crucial part of our strategy to build a robust management team and grow our business internationally.”

Nuttall said he is honored to join Philippine Airlines at a pivotal time and looks forward to building on its recent successes. Philippine Airlines reported a net income of PHP10.01 billion in 2024, following record earnings of PHP21 billion in 2023, and is moving forward with fleet modernization, including the arrival of nine Airbus A350-1000s and 13 A321neos by 2026.

Meanwhile, industry sources suggest a Sri Lankan is likely to succeed Nuttall as CEO of SriLankan Airlines, continuing the momentum he helped create.

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