After a decade serving Gategroup in senior management positions, Andrew Gibson has decided to step down as CEO and member of the Board of Directors to undertake professional opportunities in North America. The Board of Directors of gategroup has appointed Xavier Rossinyol as the new CEO, effective April 1, 2015.
Gibson, who joined Gategroup in 2004, has served as the Group’s CEO since 2011. During his tenure as CEO, he led a range of operating, commercial and strategic initiatives to strengthen Gategroup’s portfolio of businesses. This included, for example, the formation of the Product and Supply Chain Solutions Division, Gate Retail Onboard, and the new Emerging Markets business. He also led the company through the European business restructuring, reshaped the activities undertaken at the corporate center, and strengthened other key global functions such as procurement and IT to improve the effectiveness of the global organization and deliver cost savings.
Andreas Schmid, chairman of the Board of Directors said, “Andrew has led the company through a challenging macro-economic climate, creating a strong platform and clear path forward for the company to achieve its strategic objectives. The Board of Directors thanks Andrew for the substantial contributions that he has made during his tenure as CEO.”
Andrew Gibson will be succeeded as CEO by Rossinyol, a 44 year-old Spanish citizen based in Switzerland, who has close to 20 years of experience in the airline service industry. Since 2012, Rossinyol has served as Dufry’s CEO of EMEA and Asia, and prior to this as Dufry’s CFO from 2004 to 2012. Dufry is a publicly traded company on the SIX and is a global travel retailer operating in 60 countries with 21,500 employees worldwide. During his tenure at Dufry, Rossinyol, through strategic acquisitions and focus on regional business delivery, helped transform Dufry into a true global retailer. From 1995 to 2004, he worked for Spain-based Grupo Áreas in various management positions with increasing responsibility in auditing, controlling and business development. Rossinyol has a BBA and MBA in International Management and Finance from ESADE and a Master in Business Law from Universidad Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona.
Schmid stated, “Xavier Rossinyol brings significant professional experience as CFO and COO of Dufry, and in various other management positions within the airline sector. His proven international track record of strategic thinking, strong leadership and excellence in execution give him a solid foundation to build upon and enhance Gategroup’s growth and performance in a sustainable manner.”
