Delta Air Lines has hired former Bombardier president and CEO Alain Bellemare as president of its international organization, CEO Ed Bastian announced in a memo on Wednesday.
Bellemare, who retired from Bombardier last year and also previously led United Technologies Corp.’s propulsion and aerospace division, “will lead our portfolio of international investments, working closely with our partners as they recover from the pandemic,” Bastian said in the memo. Bellemare will report directly to Bastian, and Delta SVP of alliances and international Perry Cantarutti and Asia Pacific VP Matteo Curcio will report to Bellemare. Delta will announce “further alignment of roles within our international organization” in the near future, Bastian said.
Steve Sear, who had been president of international as well as EVP of global sales, will continue to lead Delta’s global sales team, with SVP of global sales Bob Somers and VP of sales operations and development Kristen Shovlin reporting to him, according to Bastian.
In addition, Delta has hired former Softbank executive and McKinsey partner Michelle Horn as SVP and chief strategy officer. Horn will lead Delta’s corporate strategy team as it plans its recovery from the pandemic.
Bastian’s memo did not indicate when the appointments were effective, and Delta did not immediately return a request for clarification.