The chief commercial officer of easyJet has resigned little more than two months after losing out on the budget airline’s top job.
Sky News has learnt that Peter Duffy, who has been with the Luton-based carrier ‎since 2011, is to leave the company.
His departure will be announced on Tuesday morning as part of a wider restructuring of the company’s commercial functions, a source said, alongside its first quarter results.
Mr Duffy was seen as a leading internal candidate to replace Carolyn McCall, who quit easyJet last summer to become the new chief executive of ITV.
However, the airline’s board opted to go outside the company to replace Ms McCall, naming former TUI Group executive Johan Lundgren to the role in November.
Image: Johan Lundgren is a 30-year travel industry veteran and former deputy CEO of TUI. Pic: easyJet
It was unclear on Monday night whether Mr Duffy, a former Barclays executive, has another job to go to, although sources said that his departure had been agreed amicably between him and Mr Lundgren.
His exit will further dismantle the executive team which transformed easyJet into one of the most formidable competitors in Europe’s aviation sector.
The company recently acquired part of Air Berlin’s operations, accelerating its expansion plans, and has enjoyed a strong financial performance despite currency headwinds.
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EasyJet is nevertheless wrestling with the implications of the UK’s impending departure from the European Union, applying for a licence in Austria that will enable it to continue operating between EU markets.
An easyJet spokesman declined to comment on Mr Duffy’s resignation.
Source: Sky