Executive Changes at Orangestar Holdings

The Board of Orangestar Holdings, the company that owns and operates Jetstar Asia and Valuair, has appointed Ms Chong Phit Lian as Chief Executive Officer.

Ms Chong, who will take up the position after March 15, 2006, replaces Mr Ken Ryan who returned to Sydney in December to take up a new senior role at Qantas.

Ms Chong is currently the Chief Executive Officer and President of The Singapore Mint, and has more than 28 years’ experience in manufacturing, engineering and tourism, with particular expertise in business development and business restructuring. Most recently, Ms Chong held a variety of positions with Singapore Technologies/SembCorp Group.

In addition to her current role with The Singapore Mint, Ms Chong is a Director of several companies in the travel, hotel, lifestyle and leisure businesses within the SembCorp Industries Group covering Singapore, Malaysia, China and Spain, and is also on the Board of Avis Car Rental in Singapore.

In another move the Board also confirmed that Orangestar Chairman, Mr Geoff Dixon, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Qantas Airways, will step down from the Orangestar Board.

Orangestar Director Mr Peter Gregg, who is also the Chief Financial Officer of Qantas Airways, will take over as Chairman.

The resultant vacancy on the Orangestar Board will be filled by Mr Alan Joyce, who is Chief Executive Officer of Australian carrier Jetstar, heralding closer cooperation between the value-based carriers in Australia and Singapore.

Mr Neil Thompson, who has been Acting Chief Executive pending the announcement of a permanent Chief Executive for Orangestar, will return to Sydney as planned in March, resuming his role as Head of Customer Relationship Management for Qantas Airways.

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