Chong Phit Lian is new Orangestar CEO

Company board announces several top-level changes

BY A CORRESPONDENT
February 10, 2006

Chong Phit Lian is the new Chief Executive Officer of Orangestar Holdings, which owns Jetstar Asia and Valuair. Chong is now Chief Executive Officer and President of The Singapore Mint. She will join Orangestar after March 15. Ching has nearly three decades of experience in manufacturing, engineering and tourism. She has gained expertise in business development and business restructuring during her long career.

Chong takes up the role of Ken Ryan, who moves to Austrlia in December this year to join Qantas at a senior level. Most recently, Chong held a variety of positions with Singapore Technologies/SembCorp Group. Over and above her current role with The Singapore Mint, Ms Chong is a Director of several companies in the travel, hotel, lifestyle and leisure businesses within the SembCorp Industries Group covering Singapore, Malaysia, China and Spain, and is also on the Board of Avis Car Rental in Singapore.

With the joint operations of Jetstar Asia and Valuair now going strong, Orangestar chairman Geoff Dixon, who is also Qantas Airways CEO, steps down from the Orangestar Board. Orangestar director Mr Peter Gregg, who is also of Qantas Airways CFO, will take over as Chairman.

The resultant vacancy on the Orangestar Board will be filled by Mr Alan Joyce, who is Chief Executive Officer of Australian carrier Jetstar, heralding closer cooperation between the value-based carriers in Australia and Singapore.

Mr Neil Thompson, who has been Acting Chief Executive pending the announcement of a permanent Chief Executive for Orangestar, will return to Sydney as planned in March, resuming his role as Head of Customer Relationship Management for Qantas Airways.