John Ingram

John Ingram is an internationally recognised airline professional, with extensive Asian experience, including Mandarin Chinese language ability.He has developed a portfolio career of Consultancy, Interim management, Executive coaching, Cross-cultural and aviation related management training.

Skills:

Relationship management
Change Management Delivery
Cross Cultural Management
Executive Coaching
Sales & Marketing
Strategy & Business Development Negotiation
Alliance & Franchise management
Customer Service Management

Career Summary 2007 – Present

Design & delivery of executive management, aviation related training programs and seminars. Clients include Rolls Royce Ltd, Airbus, European Union, IATA, and Aerospace & Defence Industries Association of Europe. Courses delivered for Chinese, Russian and other international managers at Rolls Royce Head Office London, RR Training Centre Derby, Oxford University, as well as in Miami, New Delhi, Cochin, Geneva, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Addis Ababa, Dubai, Moscow, Toulouse, Zurich, Jeddah, Johannesburg, Kigali, Windhoek, Singapore, Guangzhou and Beijing.

Cross Cultural Training associate with Richard Lewis Communications, specializing in Chinese cultural awareness

Ongoing consultancy advice on various alliance / franchise issues for British Airways, and other European airlines

Executive coaching for various clients

Alliance & Franchise Manager British Airways 1997 – 2006

Development of relationships with Chinese airlines, civil aviation authorities and government on behalf of British Airways. Appointed Visiting Professor at Civil Aviation Management Institute Beijing (CAMIC)

Liaison with trade groups and companies in the UK involved in China business.

Producing a Franchise Strategy and driving the implementation of recommendations, improving the management and value of the British Airways franchise portfolio. Achieved by improved sales coordination, franchise fees, control of services provided by British Airways, and a structured contract and relationship management programme.

Negotiated B.A. franchise renewal for airlines GB Airways and Maersk Air with significant improvements in Licence Agreement terms. Renegotiated fee structure with British Mediterranean Airways. Managed closure and any issues arising, of BASE Airlines (Netherlands), National Jet Italia (Italy) and Duo Airways (U.K.).

Managing British Airways brand changes/developments with B.A. Franchise GB Airways to mutual advantage

Development and ongoing management of positive relationship with British Airways BALPA, the airline pilots union, to address union concerns and ensure positive development of Franchise and Alliance activity

Completed switch of General Sales Agency for Central Asia and Levant from British Airways to B.A. Franchise British Mediterranean Airways, with significant manpower savings for British Airways, but also protection of revenue and customer, service standards.

Project managed implementation of Finnair commercial relationship for British Airways. Completed on time and on budget. Learning used in future development of British Airways alliances & codeshare management.

On company interviewers’ panel for recruitment of B.A. Graduate Trainees

Regional Manager Customer Services – Asia Pacific British Airways 1994 – 1997

Development of customer service relationship throughout Asia Pacific Region with B.A. Alliance partner Qantas. Project implementation of joint training initiatives; joint airport managers in Singapore & Bangkok; thru’ check in capability; Auckland codeshare introduction; product and policy alignment, and liaison with other Regions and Heathrow/Gatwick for issues affecting both companies.
Led British Airways Passenger Business Customer Service co-ordination group for Contingency Planning, Security and Emergency Response.
‘Streamleader’ for Processes/Behaviour module of British Airways Passenger Business ‘Change Programme’. Acted as mentor & coach for expatriation / repatriation of managers on overseas assignments
Initiated Quality Assessment Process throughout Asia Pacific Region to enhance customer service levels. Introduction of service initiatives such as telephone/fax check-in, systems developments and ‘individualised service’. Improvement in communication between overseas airports and Heathrow, particularly Terminal 4.
Developed use of graduate trainees within Asia Pacific and other Regions for airport customer service and operations attachments. Developed program for non UK staff management development roles in the UK
World Sales Business Manager – Pacific / Americas British Airways 1992 – 1994

Successful re-negotiation of Ethnic Chinese ‘Eupo Air’ contract on the London to Hongkong route (£12m net) and account management of corporate relationship.
Project managed set-up of subsidiary airline – British Asia Airways – for flights to Taipei, negotiating with P.R.C., Hong Kong, U.K. and Taiwanese government and aviation authorities.
Involved in China route development, managing B.A. Chairman’s visit to China in July 1993, and initiation of direct services to Beijing in March 1993. Ongoing management of China issues/strategy.
General Manager Peoples Republic of China British Airways 1989 – 1992

Motivating and restructuring British Airways team in Beijing after my arrival in June 1989. Managed reduction in expatriate staff and increase in local staff, maintaining and then improving customer service standards and achieving an increase in sales.
Development of an effective local Chinese network of contacts with the Civil Aviation Administration of China ( C.A.A.C.), Air China and the wider Chinese business & political environment.
Lead negotiating team in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, obtaining direct ‘northern route’ overflight rights, thereby improving flight times from Beijing and Hong Kong, to London with resultant improvement in route profitability
Manager Zimbabwe British Airways 1987 – 1989

Creation of dedicated sales team in Harare, and growth in local passenger revenue from £7.0 to £10.75m per annum. Opening of new town office/sales premises in Harare and Bulawayo – both on time and within budget.
Ensured normal B.A. services maintained throughout period of severe disagreement between U.K. and Zimbabwe governments, relating to noise abatement issues affecting Air Zimbabwe in London Gatwick.
Development of local staff, including localisation of both airport and sales manager role.
Manager Sudan British Airways 1985 – 1987

Sales in Khartoum, Sudan significantly improved to over £7m by developing oil market segment
Implementing an effective method of remitting soft currency earnings.
Successful recruitment and training of local airport manager to manage customer service activity
Ensured B.A. services maintained throughout extreme operating conditions including: military coup d’etats, erratic supplies of jet fuel, electricity, water, food; ongoing civil disturbances and terrorist activity.
Customer Services Manager /Airport Manager Dhahran, Saudi Arabia British Airways 1984

Interim assignment to prepare airport operation for transition and handover to British Caledonian Airways
Customer Services Manager / Airport Manager Beijing P.R.C. British Airways 1981 – 1984

Developed airport and town office operation for BA customer services in Beijing
Managed introduction of services Hong Kong-Beijing for B.A.
Customer Service Awards given for handling of visit by Royal Ballet of London to Beijing, and also for managing local effects of incident on BA Hong Kong – Beijing service which required diversion to Taipei.
Customer Services Overseas ‘Pool’ British Airways 1981

Temporary / interim management assignments in Hanover, Beijing, Shanghai, Doha, Khartoum
Mandarin Chinese Language Course, London 1980

Customer Services Officer / Airport Duty Officer – Muscat – Oman 1978 – 1980

During secondment to Oman International Services, was responsible for the re-organisation and development of the Operations Section to provide more effective service to customer airlines.
Acted as mentor for local Omani management trainees
Customer Service Award for handling incident arising from passenger illness during transit of B.A. service through Muscat
British Airways Graduate Program and Overseas Commercial Trainee Program 1976-1978

Variety of course modules & overseas attachments in Tokyo, Miami, Lusaka, Mumbai, Copenhagen, Kuwait.
Personal Development
March 2010 Henley Certificate in Executive Coaching Henley Business School, University of Reading
May 2009 IATA Approved Instructor Int’l Air Transport Association, Montreal, Canada
Oct 1994 Masters in Business Administration University of Lancaster
June 1981 Mandarin Chinese Diploma University of Westminster
Sept 1976 BA Hons Geography University of Manchester

Additional Information
Languages – Mandarin Chinese
Chairman – Guildford City Swimming Club www.guildfordcitysc.com