Norris successor may still be found within Air NZ's ranks

Ralph Norris

The global search for Air New Zealand boss Ralph Norris' replacement is a sign the national carrier's board is being cautious - not a vote of no-confidence in internal candidates, senior recruitment specialists say.

The recruitment specialists said yesterday that Rob Fyfe, the airline's second in command, was still the favourite to replace Norris, who was leaving on September 1 to head the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

Other internal candidates could include Craig Sinclair, the airline's group general manager, ventures, and Norm Thompson, head of sales and marketing.

Airline chairman John Palmer said the international search for a new managing director and chief executive could take close to four months. Given that time-line the post could be vacant until October.

In the meantime, Rob McDonald, chief financial officer, will assume the role. McDonald is not seeking the job full-time.

Iain MacGibbon, managing director of recruitment firm FarrowJamieson, said he was surprised the global search was only taking four months.

"The time to recruit is taking longer and that is reflected by the number of quality candidates and the difficulty of keeping them in the process," said MacGibbon, adding that superior contenders are continually being recruited and often have more than one job to choose from.

Installing the chief financial officer to take the reigns until a candidate can be found was the norm, said another recruiter.

In some cases, shareholders demand a global and thorough recruitment process for key company roles, especially in the US where corporate governance practices remain a hot topic.

The small size of the sector is also a factor that could force the airline to look beyond someone with only domestic experience, such as at rival airline Qantas.

The short list may include Kiwi or Australian expats that have made waves abroad. Such candidates could be Ray Webster, chief executive of UK budget airline, easyJet, or Gary Chapman, president of Dubai airline Emirate's ground-handling and travel agent company, Dnata.

The outcome of the election - Government holdings in the airline total 82 per cent - could be another factor affecting the scope of external candidates. Contenders may want to know who the new Government will be before making the move.

The sizeable Government holding could also be a draw to candidates who perceive the airline's ownership as stable and less likely to be sold or swallowed by a rival.