Coyle and Walsh favourites for chief executive post

DESPITE being relatively new to Aer Lingus, former Ryanair executive Sean Coyle is seen as a front-runner to succeed Dermot Mannion as chief executive.

However, Paddy Power has made deputy chief executive Niall Walsh its 6/4 favourite to assume the role, with Coyle at 7/4.

In theory the appointment could come from anywhere, given Aer Lingus have appointed an international recruitment agency to the task.

Other possible candidates include Ryanair director Conor McCarthy; former Aer Lingus chief financial officer Brian Dunne; director of communications, Enda Corneille; and corporate affairs director, Stephen Kavanagh.

The current chairman Colm Barrington, who will temporarily assume the role today, has also been mooted as a possible candidate.

Siptu said the new chief must have a long-term strategic view of the national carrier’s development.

“During Mr Mannion’s period as chief executive we negotiated one of the most radical series of partnership agreements in the aviation sector here, or internationally. We expect the new chief executive to continue working with us,” the union said in a statement.

Goodbody analyst Stephen Furlong said Aer Lingus will need somebody with a “thick skin” to succeed Mr Mannion, adding that they will have to find somebody who “doesn’t get riled by O’Leary”.

“It needs to be someone who can deal with the shareholder issues and succeed with the short-haul strategy,” he said.

When asked yesterday if he would be interested in the job Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary failed to comment — but Paddy Power have him at 100/1.