Michael Cawley to step down.

Ryanair today (1 July 2013) announced that Michael Cawley, its Deputy CEO and Chief Commercial Officer, has decided to step down from his full-time Executive role in 10 months' time at the end of March 2014.
Michael, who is responsible for the airline’s commercial strategy, its successful “low fares - high load factor” operations, as well as overseeing the development of its new route and airport relationships, will use the next 10 months to assist a smooth handover to his successor, who will be appointed over the coming months.

The Chairman of Ryanair, David Bonderman has invited Michael Cawley to join the Board as a Non Executive Director after he steps down as a full-time Executive in March 2014, and Ryanair is pleased to confirm that Michael has accepted this invitation. It is expected that Michael will join the Board of Ryanair Plc in a Non Executive capacity on 1 May 2014 next.

Ryanair’s Chief Executive Michael O’Leary said:
“I am grateful to Michael for his enormous contribution to the successful growth and development of Ryanair over the past 17 years. I am pleased that he has given us such a long notice period so that he can assist his successor over a substantive handover period.

Read more :
http://www.ryanair.com/ie/news/ryanair-deputy-ceo-to-step-down-in-march-2014

An interesting comment :

Michael Cawley's departure as joint deputy chief executive of Ryanair is the first sign that the founding generation of Ryanair managers won't be around forever.
Indeed, the move almost certainly fires the starting gun on the race to succeed Michael O'Leary.

While the larger-than-life Mr O'Leary is very much the public face of Ryanair, no single individual, no matter how talented, can single-handedly create and manage such a successful company. Working in the background at Ryanair have been some very talented executives, including Mr Cawley.

Whether and how the company can replicate that winning chemistry with a new generation of leaders will be watched not just by corporate Ireland but by the world's canniest stock investors.

So why is he quitting now?
With Mr Cawley hitting 59 this year, did the older man conclude that his chance of getting the top job had passed? Having recently successfully negotiated a 175-plane order with Boeing worth up to €11.6bn, he is certainly leaving on a high.

A native of Cork city, Mr Cawley joined Ryanair in February 1997 as its chief financial and commercial officer in the run-up to the airline's stock market flotation later that year.
He was appointed deputy chief executive in 2003.
During his time with Ryanair, the number of passengers flown has risen from a mere 3.7 million in the year to March 1997 to 79.3 million in the year to March 2013.


Read more :
http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/departure-fires-the-starting-gun-on-race-to-succeed-chief-29387359.html