Siza Mzimela

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Sizakele Petunia Mzimela, known as Siza Mzimela, is credited as the first black woman to start an airline.[1] She is the founder and Chief executive officer of Fly Blue Crane, a start-up airline which launched on 1 September 2015.[2] She was listed as one of Forbes magazine's most powerful women in 2011.[3]

Career[]

Mzimela joined the South African Airways (SAA) national airline in January 1996 as a research analyst.[3] She subsequently headed global sales and SAA's Voyager loyalty programme, serving as CEO from 1 April 2010 until 8 October 2012.[2][4] She has also served as the first female member of the board of governors of the International Air Transport Association, based in Miami, Florida, USA.[5]

She was appointed interim CEO of South African Express in April 2017,[6] which was forced into business rescue[7] on 28 April 2020 by its creditors.[8]

On 1 April 2020, Mzimela joined Transnet as CEO of its freight rail division. She is currently the Vice President of SARA (Southern Africa Railways Association)[7]

Fly Blue Crane[]

Fly Blue Crane Embraer ERJ 145 at OR Tambo International Airport a couple of weeks after the launch of the airline in September 2015.

Fly Blue Crane was launched on 1 September 2015 by Mzimela and two ex-SAA colleagues, Jerome Simelane and Theunis Potgieter.[9] One year later, it has grown to employ over 100 people.[10] Mzimela said at the launch of Fly Blue Crane that she hopes to expand the airline to include routes to Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo.[1]

Fly Blue Crane became insolvent in 2016; operations were suspended on 3 February 2017.[11]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Finley, Taryn (2 December 2015). "Meet Siza Mzimela, The First Black Woman To Start An Airline". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Sizakele Petunia Mzimela: Executive Profile & Biography - Bloomberg". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  3. ^ a b Nsehe, Mfonobong. "The Most Powerful African Women (Part 1)". Forbes. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  4. ^ "Siza loves giving the big airlines the bird | IOL".
  5. ^ "Spotlight On The Career Of A Pioneering Female African Aviator". AFKInsider. 3 January 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  6. ^ Sikonathi Mantshantsha (18 April 2017). "Sudden departure of South African Express' Inati Ntshanga adds to uncertainty". businesslive.co.za. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  7. ^ a b Khumalo, Sibongile (1 April 2020). "Siza Mzimela joins Transnet as head of freight rail a". News24. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  8. ^ "SA Express' employees hope to rescue the airline". WorldAirlineNews. 1 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  9. ^ Speckman, Asha. "Entrepreneur: Fly Blue Crane's Siza Mzimela". Financial Mail. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  10. ^ "Meet Siza Mzimela, former SAA CEO and founder of start-up airline Fly Blue Crane". CapeTalk. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  11. ^ Raymond, Nedu (27 August 2020). "Meet Siza Mzimela, the First Black Woman To Start An Airline In South Africa". BuzzSouthAfrica. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
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