Dépêches

gategroup Names Van Niekerk as President of Europe and Africa Region

Dépèche transmise le 17 novembre 2010 par PRNewswire

ZURICH, November 17, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- gategroup, the leading independent global provider of onboard services, today named Peter van Niekerk as Group Senior Vice President and President of its Europe and Africa region.

The appointment is effective Jan. 1, 2011. In his new role, Van Niekerk joins the Executive Management Board, the senior management decision-making body of gategroup, which comprises 11 brands, including its core business Gate Gourmet.

Van Niekerk, who has been with the company as a Group Senior Vice President since 2006, most recently served as Managing Director of U.K. and Ireland. In his new role, he will assume overall responsibility for Gate Gourmet's and Gate Aviation's financial performance, operations and management functions within the Europe and Africa region, which is the largest of the Group's geographic segments in terms of revenue.

"We are delighted to have an executive of Peter's talent and experience to assume leadership of this key division. He has demonstrated keen business expertise in previous roles heading two other regions, and we look forward to his contributions to strengthen performance and execute on opportunities within Europe and Africa," said gategroup CEO Guy Dubois.

As head of the U.K. and Ireland operation, Van Niekerk achieved significant cost efficiencies through restructuring, consolidation of support functions and exit from unprofitable operations. He steered a major facility improvement and transition project at Gate Gourmet's London Heathrow operation. He also led the effort to introduce lean manufacturing practices across 10 locations and created a "Pride and Passion" program of employee engagement and initiative with its ultimate focus on improving customer service.

Van Niekerk assumed his U.K. role in January 2009 after having spent a year as Chief Operating Officer, Asia Pacific. In that position, he had responsibility for operations and business development within the Asia Pacific region; the Group's airport lounge business; and integrating the Performa brand.

He joined Gate Gourmet in March 2006 as Group Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff, where he contributed to strategic development and strengthening of management disciplines. He came from AlixPartners LLC, a leading U.S. turnaround and restructuring advisory, where he was a Director. Before that, he led a $3 billion mutual fund company as Managing Director, and served as Head of Group Strategy for Old Mutual PLC, the U.K.-based financial services group. He started his career in the strategy practice of Booz Allen & Hamilton in New York.

Van Niekerk holds an LLM Degree from the (in Corporate and Commercial Law) and a master's degree in Economics from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, where he completed his undergraduate studies. He attended the Executive Program and holds the CTP (Turnaround Practitioner) and CIRA (Insolvency & Restructuring Adviser) certifications.

About gategroup:

gategroup is the leading independent global provider of onboard services to companies that serve people on the move. gategroup comprises 11 brands, which are deSter, eGate Solutions, Elan, Gate Aviation, Gate Gourmet, Gate Safe, Harmony, Performa, potmstudios, Pourshins and Supplair.

The Group's world-class capabilities are focused in catering and hospitality; provisioning and logistics; and onboard solutions.

Our customers include top airlines and railroads worldwide that rely on our expertise and solutions tailored to their guests, service offerings and geographic regions.

Shares of Zurich-based gategroup are traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the symbol GATE. Please visit .

CONTACT: John Bronson of gategroup Corporate Communications,+41-43-812-2048, ; or Brigitt Trindler,+41-43-812-5578 ,