March 2, 2016 TnH Global

Former SpiceJet COO Sanjiv Kapoor joins Vistara as commercial and strategy chief

Sanjiv Kapoor, SpiceJet’s former aggressive chief operating officer, Tuesday joined Vistara as its chief strategy and commercial officer.

“Sanjiv will be responsible for managing a wide portfolio of Vistara’s commercial and planning functions, including strategy development, network planning, pricing and revenue management, sales & distribution, product development, branding, marketing and customer experience,” the airline said in a release.

It added he will also be responsible for “in-flight services and ground operations”

Kapoor, 48, succeeds Giam Ming Toh who is returning to Singapore Airlines on completion of his deputation with Vistara.

Kapoor joined SpiceJetBSE 3.82 % in November 1, 2013 when it was still owned by media baron Kalanithi Maran and turned it from a fringe player to a price warrior, bombarding the market with aggressive discounts and offers throughout the year, which rivals were forced to follow.

SpiceJet however buckled under cost and cash pressures and came close to a shutdown in December 2014, before former owner Ajay Singh took over the next month. Kapoor resigned from the airline last October.

Vistara, a full service carrier jointly owned by Singapore Airlines and Tata Sons will be a different assignment from his previous one. Kapoor joins it at a time when it has been struggling to fill its flights. The airline Monday announced a reconfiguration of its aircraft, cutting business and premium economy seats and adding to the economy class.
The conflict came to a head last week in the form of a public spat between the incumbents’ owners and executives and Tata Sons’ chairman emeritus Ratan Tata, the original visionary of the conglomerate’s entry into the aviation industry.
Originally from Kolkata, Kapoor graduated from US’ Ivy League Dartmouth College in 1990 and then got his business management degree from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

He shares his Kolkata and Wharton background with Rakesh Gangwal, the co-founder of rival IndiGo, India’s biggest airline by market share.

Before joining SpiceJet, Kapoor was CEO of the now defunct GMG Airlines of Bangladesh and leader of airline practice at global consultancy Bain.
He is the co-founder of an NGO ‘A Garbage Free India’ that works with local municipalities and schools taking initiatives to clean up the city.

News Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com