Directorate Change

RNS Number : 0865Q

Wizz Air Holdings PLC

25 February 2016

 

WIZZ AIR ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF ADDITIONAL

INDEPENDENT NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CHANGES TO THE COMPOSITION OF ITS AUDIT AND REMUNERATION COMMITTEES

Geneva, 25 February 2016: Wizz Air Holdings plc ("Wizz Air" or "the Company" and together with its subsidiaries, the "Group"), the largest low-cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe, today announces the appointment of Susan Hooper to the Board of the Company as a non-executive director with effect from 1 March 2016. She will also serve on Wizz Air's Audit and Remuneration committees.

A UK national, Susan Hooper was managing director of British Gas Services, leading the service and repair, central heating installations, electrical services, and Dyno-Rod business units until November 2014. Susan joined British Gas from the Acromas Group where she was chief executive of the travel division, responsible for Saga holidays and hotels, Saga cruises, Spirit of Adventure cruises, Titan Travel and the travel division of the AA. Previously, she held senior roles at Royal Caribbean International, Avis Europe, PepsiCo International, McKinsey & Co, and Saatchi & Saatchi. During her time with PepsiCo International, Susan spent over five years based in Central and Eastern European countries.

She is currently a non-executive director of Affinity Water Ltd. and The Rank Group plc, as well as being an advisory board member of LUISS Business School in Rome.

From 2011 to 2014 she was a non-executive director of Whitbread PLC and has held several other non-executive directorships, including at First Choice plc, Transcom SA, Royal & Sun Alliance Group plc and Courtaulds Textiles Plc.

Commenting on this appointment, William A. Franke, Chairman said today:

"I am delighted that Susan has agreed to join the Board of Wizz Air. Her credentials in the leisure sector are outstanding and she has a great deal of experience as a non-executive of UK listed companies. We look forward to working with her."

Wizz Air confirms that there is no information to be disclosed under the requirements of Listing Rule 9.6.13R in relation to the appointment of Susan Hooper.

At the same time, Stephen L. Johnson and John R. Wilson will step down from the Company's Audit Committee and Remuneration Committee respectively, as contemplated in the Company's initial public offering prospectus published on 25 February 2015. They will remain as non-executive directors of the Company. The Company's Audit Committee will then be composed of Simon Duffy (Chairman), John McMahon and Susan Hooper, all independent non-executive directors, and the Company's Remuneration Committee will then be composed of Guido Demuynck (Chairman), Thierry de Preux and Susan Hooper, all independent non-executive directors.

On 4 November 2015, the Company announced that it was proposed that John Stephenson, the Group's Executive Vice President, would be appointed to the Board as an additional executive director at the same time as the appointment of an additional independent non-executive director. However, as Mr. Stephenson remains on extended medical leave, the Board has agreed with Mr. Stephenson that his appointment should be deferred until further notice.

-Ends-

ABOUT WIZZ AIR

Wizz Air is the largest low-cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe, operates a fleet of 66 Airbus A320 and Airbus A321 aircraft, and offers more than 400 routes from 24 bases, connecting 119 destinations across 38 countries.  At Wizz Air, a team of approximately 2,600 aviation professionals delivers superior service and very low ticket prices making Wizz Air the preferred choice of 19.2 million passengers in 2015. Wizz Air is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker WIZZ and is included in the FTSE 250 and FTSE All-Share Indices.

Wizz Air was recently named 2016 Value Airline of the Year by the editors of Air Transport World, one of the world's leading airline industry magazines. 

For more information:
Investors:	Iain Wetherall, Wizz Air:	[phone]
Media:	Doug Oliver, Wizz Air:	[phone]
	Edward Bridges / Jonathan Neilan, FTI Consulting LLP:	[phone]

 

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