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Southwest names air travel veteran Gangwal as board chairperson

Southwest Airlines on Monday named aviation industry veteran Rakesh Gangwal as the independent chair to its board, days after the spending plan carrier settled its fight with activist investor Elliott.

The airline company generated the co-founder of India's biggest provider Indigo to its board in July in spite of criticism from Elliott Investment Management at the time.

Gangwal, an American, has actually spent numerous years in senior functions at United Airlines and U.S. Airways. He resigned from the board of Indigo's parent InterGlobe Aviation in 2022.

Gangwal purchased Southwest shares worth more than $100 million last month before the airline settled its boardroom feud with Elliott in an offer that allowed CEO Bob Jordan to maintain his job by making larger board-level concessions.

Elliott had actually been pushing for months to refresh the board and remove Kelly and Jordan, blaming them for the airline company's bad performance.

As part of the offer, the Dallas-based airline company was set to add five Elliott candidates to its board, making it the most seats the hedge fund has ever got in a settlement with a U.S. business.

The agreement with Elliott likewise speeded up the retirement of Executive Chairman Gary Kelly, which entered into impact on Nov. 1.

The budget plan carrier also selected chairs to its board committees on Friday, including the visit of Elliott nominee Gregg Saretsky as the chair of its finance committee.

(source: Reuters)