Oneworld appoints membership VP following organisational change

The oneworld airline alliance has appointed aviation industry veteran Loren Neuenschwander to the newly-created role of vice president, membership.

Neuenschwander has spent 28 years with Delta Air Lines, where he held senior leadership roles in partnerships, corporate strategy and finance, and joins the alliance most recently from the Boston Consulting Group.

Oneworld has 15 airline members, after Fiji Airways joined the alliance in June alongside Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian and SriLankan Airlines. Oman Air, which was invited to join oneworld in 2022, is also expected to join the alliance this year.

In his new role Neuenschwander will drive the alliance’s global membership strategy and “relationship optimisation”. He will also spearhead oneworld’s sustainability initiatives and oversee the integration of Fiji Airways and Oman Air as full members of the alliance.

Reporting to CEO Nathaniel Pieper, who joined the oneworld in April, Neuenschwander’s appointment is part of “a broader organisational change” aimed at streamlining areas of responsibility and enhancing operational efficiency, according to oneworld.

Commenting on Neuenschwander’s appointment, Pieper said: “Loren brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the airline industry’s complexities and opportunities across both developed and emerging markets. His strategic insight and leadership will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our alliance and deliver value to our member airlines and customers.”