Airlines Deals

The responsibility of managing the Air Sahara airline business has come to stay with Seemanto Roy, Sahara Chairman Subroto Roy`s younger son, reports Business Standard.

After the failure of the Jet-Sahara deal, this division of responsibilities is in line with the restructuring of the group by Ernst & Young (E&Y), the consultancy firm which had advised the Sahara group on the airline sale.

This is an addition to the Seemanto Roy`s portfolio, who had been managing the Amby valley project. He is being assisted by Alok Sharma, the company president in charge of day-to-day operations.

E&Y had also advised Sahara on professionalisation of the family-run group, which is engaged in more than 30 businesses. In a move, which was interpreted as a `succession plan`, the two sons of Sahara chief Subroto Roy - Sushanto and Seemanto - have been playing a larger role in the group.

After the announcement of the country`s largest deal in the aviation sector, Rono Dutta quit the company. Dutta was the functional chief of Air Sahara.
Air Sahara has also entrusted E&Y with the job of reviewing the airline`s existing business plans, which guide it on capital requirements and other strategic decisions.

Meanwhile, Air Sahara is planning to strengthen its teams in core departments like information technology, engineering and operations.