Vivienne K. Tan, the US-educated daughter of taipan Lucio C. Tan, has been appointed to the board of flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL).

The appointment of Ms. Tan — concurrent PAL executive vice president for yreasury, yreasurer and chief administrative officer — to PAL’s 15-man board comes as the airline announced its new digital transformation thrust to bring PAL back on the road to recovery.

“With this added responsibility, I shall continue to be focused in steering the company to profitability,” Ms. Tan said in a statement.

Gilbert Santa Maria, PAL president and COO, presented to the Board a strategic business plan to turn around the company. “We will work hard to achieve the objectives of the business plan,” he said.

Santa Maria said the flag carrier will ​embark on digital transformation initiatives to ensure that the airline’s needs are met by the most ideal technology solutions — a move seen to pave the way for the company’s right-sizing and return to profitability.

In the last three months, Ms. Tan, together with Santa Maria and his team, has been mapping out strategies to reduce costs, enhance customer experience and increase revenues.

The next few months will be crucial as the new PAL management introduces major changes in the 78-year old airline.

Following Tan’s appointment to the PAL Board during its regular meeting held today (4 October 2019), the new PAL Board of Directors is now composed of the following: Lucio C. Tan-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Lucio “Bong” K. Tan-Vice Chairman, Gilbert F. Santa Maria, Rowena T. Chua, Atty. Florentino Herrera III, Atty. Estelito Mendoza, Vivienne K. Tan (replacing Cirilo P. Noel), Carmen K. Tan, Michael G. Tan, Ryuhei Maeda, Johnip G. Cua, Justice Manuel Lazaro, Amando M. Tetangco, Jr., Samuel C. Uy, Gregorio T. Yu

During the same meeting, the PAL Board accepted the resignations of senior officers Angelito Alvarez, and Atty. Siegfred Mison and Board Member Cirilo Noel.