Alaska Airlines has promoted four staff to key guest experience roles, with a view to creating future growth for the company. Effective immediately, Sangita Woerner has been promoted to senior vice president of marketing and guest experience; Charu Jain has been promoted to a new role as senior vice president of merchandising and innovation; and Vikram Baskaran will succeed Jain as the vice president of information technology services. Additionally, Kyle Levine has been promoted to senior vice president of legal and general counsel.
Woerner’s role will broaden her focus on improving the end-to-end guest experience, and to continue growing the Alaska brand and customer loyalty. She joined Alaska in 2015 and led the company’s 2016 brand relaunch, the airline’s onboard product and service redefinition as it integrated with Virgin America, and creating new uniforms in partnership with front-line teams.
“During Woerner’s five years with us, she has built a strong marketing organisation and led Alaska’s move to a single brand with the acquisition of Virgin America, including the consolidation of two loyalty programmes and upgrading our onboard product for a modern West Coast vibe and fresh local flavour,” said Andrew Harrison, executive vice president and chief commercial officer. “She’s a leader who has insatiable drive to take care of our guests and build a powerful brand.”
In her new role as senior vice president of merchandising and innovation, Jain will work closely with the airline’s commercial business, operating divisions and technology teams to implement guest experience enhancements. She has more than 25 years of experience as a senior technology executive and joined Alaska in 2017 as vice president of information technology services and chief information officer.
“Charu is a proven technology leader who integrated hundreds of systems through the acquisition of Virgin America. Her responsibilities include driving both employee and guest-facing innovation, along with taking Alaska to the next level with merchandising our products and services, and managing our ever-evolving distribution channels,” said Harrison.
Baskaran heads up information technology services as vice president. Along with Jain, he led the IT team through the complexities of integration with Virgin America. Baskaran joined the company in 2013 as a managing director of technology.
As the senior vice president of legal and general counsel, chief ethics and compliance officer and corporate secretary, Levine heads Alaska Air Group’s team of legal, governance and compliance professionals; supports the board of director’s activities and shareholder services; and sits on the company’s executive committee. He joined the company in 2006.
“In addition to critical counsel through our merger with Virgin America, Levine has built out a strong legal team, strengthened our ethics and compliance programme, and served as a company-wide champion for diversity and inclusion. He has earned this promotion and we’re all glad to see it happening,” stated Brad Tilden, chairman and CEO of Alaska Air Group.
