Paul Sies

Managing and participating in various global consulting assignments on behalf of IATA.

Created new strategic plan for a stand-alone Air Malta after the aborted take over by Alitalia; based on a radical change of business model from a legacy to a hybrid model. Cultivated new sales partnership with Ryanair and introduced high end buy on board concept with a unique new service in Business Class. Developed the lifeline schedule to maintain Island’s connection to the mainland during the Covid-19 crisis and drafted the post Covid 7 year (restructuring) plan and EU submission to state aid essential for survival and future existence of the company.
● Maximized productivity of high performing sales team and improved digital sales through development of a new digital distribution model based on persona.
● Ensured 31% passenger growth and launched 21 new destinations; establishing Air Malta as a main carrier contributing to the Maltese Economy, winning the CAPA turnaround Airline Award.
● Achieved 1.2M euro profit for the first time in 18 years in 2018.
● Enhanced airline accessibility in various markets though development of the new digital and partnership distribution footprint.
● Launched a new brand under the Air Malta group, www.airmaltaholidays.com.

Contribute to successful and challenging turnaround, start-up and interim management projects. Develop and implement managerial, procedural, IT, sales, marketing, pricing, revenue management, e-commerce, digital, branding, operational, and distribution solutions. Recent projects and assignments:

• Contract/ Senior Management Consultant IATA Consulting: Managing and participating in various global consulting assignments on behalf of IATA.

• Contract/ Sales Partner for Pax2Pay a Paxport Company: Introducing new ways of payment in the digital environment.

• Project/ Interim CCO Cyprus Airways: Developing and implementing turnaround plan for the new owners of Cyprus Airways, including fleet, strategy, positioning, network, and system design.

• Project/ E-Med Mobility: Introducing 100% sustainable public transport around the Mediterranean
• Project/ VLM Airlines (Belgium): Direct the re-launch of VLM in Antwerp Belgium. Developed the strategic and business plan including fleet, network, distribution strategy, and system choices with the focus on views of the new shareholders.
• Project/ Liege Airport (Belgium): Aided management to implement a new commercial organisation, including a CRM Strategy and System to effectively track consumers and behaviour.
o Ensured customer satisfaction by creating a new customer journey and increasing communication.
o Maximise internal efficiency by streamlining and automating customer service and sales procedures.
o Supported development of new passenger services through analysing and forecasting route opportunities and attracting new passenger airlines.
● Project/ Syphax Airlines (Tunisia): Collaborated with KPMG to create a business plan for the re-launch, including guiding on the business model, network, organisation, 5-year revenue, traffic forecast and fleet acquisition.
● Project/ BMI Regional (UK): Reorganized UK based Airline BMI Regional as Interim Chief Commercial Officer.
o Increased production of the fleet with over 70% and directed the commercial team, revenue management department and distribution platform to prepare the company for a successful strategic cooperation with the Lufthansa Group.
o Implemented the Altea reservation platform in five months successfully.
● Projects/ Saudi Gulf Airlines (Saudi Arabia) & Book2Meet.com (Belgium): Implemented distribution systems, strategy design and negotiated for new start-up Saudi Gulf Airlines in Dammam to acquire cost-effective optimum distribution footprint. Headed the start-up of Book2Meet.com a new revolutionary on-line corporate sales platform for a major US based Venture Capital Company in the hospitality industry. Later acquired by Expedia.
● Projects/ Air Austral (La Réunion), Syphax Airlines (Tunisia), Maastricht Airlines (Netherlands) & Camair-Co (Cameroon):
o Led the Commercial Turnaround of Air Austral in La Reunion
o Achieved 20M gain in annual revenue through evaluation of the revenue management strategy and implementation of improvements.
o Coordinated the re-launch of Maastricht Airlines for the Curator of the airline. Served as Interim Commercial Director / Co-CEO of the Netherlands youngest airline Maastricht Airlines.
o Chaired and coordinated the start-up of Syphax Airlines in Tunisia by acting as CCO. Completed the project in a record five months from business plan to first flight.
o Restructured the Commercial Start up assistance of Camair-Co in Cameroon, including renewing fleet and network plan, ground operations product, IT strategy, revenue management, pricing and sales and marketing strategy leading to sales growth of 300%.