AirAsia hires former adidas exec as chief commercial officer

• To develop consumer strategy for the group
• Use data to optimise growth and meet the financial objectives

AirAsia Group announced today that it has appointed former adidas executive Colin Currie (pic, above), as its chief commercial officer

In a statement, the group said he will develop a consumer=centric strategy using data to optimise growth and meet the financial objectives across AirAsia’s airlines and digital units.

The appointment will be effective as of 10 November 2021, it added.

CEO of AirAsia Group Tony Fernandes said: “We are delighted to welcome Currie onboard. He brings a wealth of experience at a global company which has also focused on Asean and can drive data integration within the group to speed up our revenue growth and create a new breadth of synergies across many of our new and exciting projects."

As the former managing director of adidas Asia-Pacific, covering Greater China, South Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia and Pacific countries, Currie was responsible for making adidas one of the hottest consumer brands in the region, AirAsia said.

He grew the company’s revenue fivefold in greater China and narrowing the market share gap from fourth to head to head market leadership, it said.

He was also credited for improving the brand’s operating model and leading the regional market to record-breaking growth, it added.

Currie said: “I am excited to be joining AirAsia Group with my experience and knowledge in enhancing the overall brand and sales performance, especially in the new digital enterprises. This is the most exciting time to join AirAsia as it embarks on its next revolution embracing the digital era."

Prior to joining adidas, Currie worked in the music and entertainment industry as managing director of Sony BMG Music Malaysia. Before that, Currie developed a broad knowledge of marketing in Hong Kong and Australia through key marketing positions with Citibank, Ansett Australia and Telstra Mobile.

Currie received an honours Bachelor degree in hospitality business management from Leeds University in the United Kingdom. He also holds a post-graduate diploma in marketing from the United Kingdom's Chartered Institute of Marketing.