The Volga-Dnepr Group is restructuring the organisation of the business in order to increase flexibility by streamlining processes and speed up decision making. The changes mean that the airline group’s offices will have direct links to the points where decisions are made by reducing the number of local vice presidents. Meanwhile, sales offices will be unified to allow them to offer services across the group’s three airlines: Volga-Dnepr, AirBridgeCargo and Atran.
The new structure will result in the Volga-Dnepr Group of airlines becoming a “mono-company”, Volga-Dnepr said.
The Volga-Dnepr platform offers An-124 and IL-76s, AirBridgeCargo operates B747 and B777 freighters and Atran flies B737Fs.
The restructured line-up includes:
- Alexey Isaikin – Chairman of the Board, the founder and co-owner of the Volga-Dnepr Group with over 40 years of experience in the aircraft and civil aviation industry.
- Sergey Shklyanik – Deputy Chairman, co-owner of the Volga-Dnepr Group, a recognised industry expert with more than 40 years of experience in the aviation industry.
- Tatiana Arslanova – Deputy Chairman, Executive Operating Director of Volga-Dnepr Group, who has held senior positions within the Group for over 15 years.
- Ruben Vardanyan – an independent Director, Russian business leader, social entrepreneur and philanthropist.
- Giorgio Callegari – an independent Director, a member of the Boards of Directors in Insurance Public Companies Ingosstrakh and Enel Russia, and a former member of the Boards of Directors of Alitalia and Aeroflot.
- Ella Sytnik – an independent Director and a partner of Ward Howell, specialising in organisational transformation and team development management.
- Stanislav Tillich – an independent Director and former Prime Minister of Saxony.
Three committees of the Board of Directors have been formed: Strategy and Transformation, Budget and Audit,
Staff and Appointments, two of which are headed by independent Directors.
During the meeting, the new Board of Directors discussed the Group’s performance and the most pressing issues for the past five months, including the relationship with creditors, suppliers and customers. To optimise operations, improve efficiency and provide a consolidated level of services for customers under the “COVID-crisis” conditions, a new concept transforming Volga-Dnepr Group of Airlines into a Mono-company was presented.
Aleksey Isaikin said: “Facing the challenges that have led to fundamental changes and revision of the passenger and cargo services value from a biosecurity perspective, we have decided on the necessity for transformation. I am confident that a strong Board of Directors will help the executive team successfully transform and adapt business leaders to the COVID-reality environment.”
The last six months have been a turbulent time for the airline group. At the end of last year, the company faced a tough time as the US-China trade war took its toll on the air cargo industry and the company was forced to make many changes. However, the rise in demand for charter services and sky high freight rates as a result of the coronavirus outbreak appear to have boosted the company.
