Tan daughter joins PAL board

MANILA, Philippines — The US-educated daughter of taipan Lucio Tan, Vivienne Tan, has been appointed as member of the 15-man board of Philippine Airlines.

Tan, who is currently serving as PAL executive vice president for treasury, treasurer and chief administrative officer, replaced Cirilo Noel.

Her appointment comes as the airline announced its new digital transformation thrust to bring PAL back on the road to recovery.

“With this added responsibility, I shall continue to be focused in steering the company to profitability,” Tan said in a statement.

PAL president Gilbert Santa Maria presented to the board a strategic business plan to turn around the company. “We will work hard to achieve the objectives of the business plan,” he said.

Santa Maria said the flag carrier would ?embark on digital transformation initiatives to ensure that the airline’s needs are met by the most ideal technology solutions -- a move seen to pave the way for the company’s right-sizing and return to profitability.

In the last three months, Tan, together with Santa Maria and his team, had been mapping out strategies to reduce costs, enhance customer experience and increase revenues.

The next few months will be crucial as the new PAL management introduces major changes in the 78-year old airline.

With her appointment, PAL’s new board is now composed of Lucio Tan (chairman and chief executive officer), Lucio “Bong” Tan (vice chairman), Santa Maria, Rowena Chua, Florentino Herrera III, Estelito Mendoza, Carmen Tan, Michael Tan, Ryuhei Maeda, Johnip Cua, Justice Manuel Lazaro, Amando Tetangco Jr., Samuel Uy, and Gregorio Yu.

During the same meeting, the PAL board accepted the resignations of senior officers Angelito Alvarez and lawyer Siegfred Mison.