* Hester to take over from December 1
* John Barton will step down as chairman after nine years
(Adds background on company, CEO comment)
Aug 23 (Reuters) - Britain's easyJet on Monday named
former RBS Chief Executive Stephen Hester as its chair designate
to succeed John Barton, as the budget airline navigates a
recovery in a travel industry hammered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The London-listed company said last month it planned to fly
60% of its pre-pandemic capacity in the July to September
quarter compared to just 17% of 2019 levels in March-June, after
it shed staff, cut its fleet and took on new debt to survive the
crisis.
Hester will take over in December from Barton, who will step
down following nine years in the role.
Hester has more than three decades of experience in various
industries, most recently serving as the CEO of RSA Insurance,
and was praised https://www.reuters.com/article/us-rbs-hester/rbs-boss-hester-to-step-down-this-year-idUSBRE95B0UY20130612
for restructuring RBS in the aftermath of its state bailout
during the 2008 financial crisis.
"I am very much looking forward to working with Stephen at
this important time in our history," easyJet CEO Johan Lundgren
said in a statement.
(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by
Uttaresh.V and Jan Harvey)