The Gulf Air board has accepted the resignation of the airline’s president and chief executive Andre Dose.

Mahmood Hashim Al Kooheji, chairman of the board, said in a statement that it has been mutually decided that Dose will leave the company in accordance with the terms of his employment contract.

A search for a new president and chief executive is ongoing, the statement said.

The board thanked Dose for his assistance to the company during his employment period.

Al Kooheji’ statement said the board, in its meeting held today, discussed “the modus operandi of the company that was approved by the board last week to ensure transparency and adherence to the rules and regulations of the Kingdom of Bahrain to be executed once the ownership of the company transfers entirely to the Kingdom of Bahrain, represented by Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company BSC(c). The Board of Directors reviewed available options for the ongoing implementation of the company’s restructuring plan.”

The board also discussed the latest developments with regard to the implementation of the company’s restructuring plan and expressed its satisfaction with the positive results achieved thus far.

“The Board is highly optimistic and trusts that the company will have a promising future especially after the implementation of the company’s network optimisation and overall restructuring plan, thereby continuing its 57-year history,” the statement said.

Dose resigned yesterday, plunging the airline into crisis. The resignation followed some allegations made against the management team, sources said.

The crisis came days after Gulf Air confirmed that it was helping police with inquiries into a criminal investigation into suspected financial irregularities, spanning several years.

UK-based forensic auditors Kroll are also understood to be going through the airline's books with a fine toothcomb. - TradeArabia News Service