Brian Sumers, Skift
Air France-KLM has been content with the status quo for a long time. Under new CEO Ben Smith, that's changing. But is it too much change, too fast?
10 months ago
Brian Sumers, Skift
Insiders sometimes privately ask if Ben Smith will be a short-timer at Air France-KLM. He is trying to bring big change to a company plagued by inertia. But change is happening. Let's see if Smith will have traction.
11 months ago
Brian Sumers, Skift
The Air France-KLM merger has been a textbook example of how hard it is to meld corporate cultures. But CEO Ben Smith isn't letting that deter him from taking a look at new acquisitions. Too soon?
12 months ago
Ania Nussbaum and Helene Fouquet, Bloomberg
The Dutch government recently took a stake in Air France-KLM so it would have more leverage in group-level dynamics. It wasn't cheap, but ministers calculated this was only way to ensure executives in Paris would listen to Dutch interests. Will it work?
1 year ago
Ania Nussbaum, Bloomberg
Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith was lauded for taking a tough but fair stance with Air Canada's unions when he was COO there. But Air France's unions are feistier. They've run the past two CEOs out of town, so it's impressive Smith got this done. Will labor peace last?
1 year ago
Angeline Benoit and Ellen Proper, Bloomberg
Did Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith, facing a rebellion of sorts from KLM, just blink? The answer may be in the details of a still-fluid governance agreement between the two airlines.
1 year ago
Brian Sumers, Skift
KLM CEO Pieter Elbers is one of the most respected airline managers in the world. But KLM is not an independent airline and ultimately he should be accountable to group CEO Ben Smith.
1 year ago
Ellen Proper and Ania Nussbaum , Bloomberg
Air France-KLM really isn't a happy family. How long can it continue to exist in its current form if the two airlines can't work together?
1 year ago
Tara Patel, Bloomberg
New Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith pulled off what some thought impossible, by negotiating a new pact with labor. But remember, Smith is still in his honeymoon period. Can he reset labor relations over the long-term? Or is this just a short-term success?
2 years ago
Ania Nussbaum, Bloomberg
At Air Canada, Ben Smith developed a reputation as a straight shooter with employees, customers, and even journalists. But Air France-KLM is a different beast. The company is broken, and the French aren't accustomed to having an outsider run their national airline. If he gets the job, it'll be an interesting ride.
2 years ago
