After more than seven challenging years in his current position, the chief executive officer of Bangalore International Airport (BIAL), Albert Brunner, has decided to move on and not extend his contract with BIAL. The company has nominated Marcel Hungerbüehler, the current chief operations officer of BIAL, as the new CEO of BIAL with effect from February 1, 2009.
Marcel Hungerbühler has been the chief operations officer of BIAL over the last two years and was instrumental in the start-up process and the operations of the airport. He has 38 years of experience in the industry and has held senior management positions with Swissair and Swissport prior to joining BIAL.
Albert Brunner was appointed CEO of BIAL in 2002. Since then, he has led the realization of the Bengaluru International Airport project. Construction of the new airport began in July 2005 and the airport opened for commercial operations on May 24, 2008.
Albert Brunner was instrumental in negotiating and signing the concession agreement between the government of India and BIAL and all other project agreements, which led the path for the future privatisation process.
“I have greatly appreciated the various excellent interactions with business leaders, politicians, officials, the staff of BIAL and personal friends over all these years and my decision to leave BIAL is purely personal. After seven years in this position, the time for change has come. I initially came here on a three year contract but ended up making Bangalore my home for seven years.” said Albert Brunner.