CALGARY — WestJet has announced the appointment of Captain Jeffrey (Jeff) Martin to the position of Chief Operating Officer. Martin joins WestJet on Sept. 24 pending Canadian immigration approval.
“Jeff is a highly accomplished aviation executive and an outstanding addition to our team,” said Ed Sims, WestJet President and CEO. “As WestJet continues to transform into a global airline, Jeff’s extensive international experience will help ensure our continued success.”
Reporting to Sims, Martin will oversee more than 11,000 WestJetters in WestJet’s Flight Operations (including the Operational Control Centre), Guest Experience (Contact Centre and Inflight), Airports, Technical (Maintenance) Operations, Continuous Improvement, and the business strategy and execution of WestJet Encore.
“For years I have admired the WestJet culture and I am thrilled to become part of it,” says Martin. “Joining WestJet at this pivotal point in its transformation to a global network airline is such an exciting opportunity. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a real game changer to WestJet’s growth as it makes its mark on the world stage.”
Martin brings more than 28 years of commercial aviation and operational experience to WestJet. He comes from JetBlue, where he most recently served as Executive Vice-President of Operations, responsible for Technical Operations, System Operations, Safety, Security, Flight Operations, Training and Regulatory Compliance for the sixth largest airline in the U.S.
Prior to that he spent 22 years at Southwest Airlines, where he began his commercial career as a pilot, and took on various leadership roles, eventually serving as Vice President of the Operations Coordination Centre.
Throughout his career Martin has maintained his currency as a pilot and civilian flight instructor and continued to fly, says WestJet. He maintains an Airline Transport Pilot Licence and is captain qualified on the DC-10, Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 aircraft. He also served in the United States Air Force flying KC-10s prior to beginning his commercial aviation career.
In July, WestJet announced the departure of Executive Vice-President, Strategy and Guest Services Bob Cummings and Executive Vice-President, Operations Cam Kenyon, as well as the promotion of Charles Duncan, Executive Vice-President, and President, WestJet Encore to Executive Vice-President and Chief Strategy Officer as of Aug. 1.
Global searches were underway at that point for both the Chief Operations Officer position, now filled by Martin, and the Chief Commercial Officer position.
