Professor John Lamola Appointed Group CEO of SAA
Prof. Lamola takes helm as GCEO after serving as interim CEO since May 2022.
Professor John Lamola has been appointed Group Chief Executive Officer of South African Airways (SA).
“The South African Airways (SAA) Board has welcomed the approval by the Minister of Transport, Ms Barbara Creecy’s appointment,” announced the airline on February 27, 2025.
SAA Board Interim Chair, Mr. Derek Hanekom, said “The SAA Board is delighted to appoint a solid and dedicated leader well-versed in SAA’s fortunes and eager to continue overseeing its take-off into better skies. We wish Professor Lamola and SAA a safe flight into an even brighter future.”
Professor Lamola has served as interim CEO of SAA since May 2022.
Profile
SAA outlined Professor Lamola’s experience spanning the aviation industry, noting their building and management of a proprietary private equity investment portfolio that included holdings in aviation and internet technologies. Lamola served as CEO at Denel Aviation from 1996 to 2001 and was a Board member of the Airports Company South Africa from 2012 to 2017.
He holds a PhD in philosophy and religious studies from Edinburgh University in Scotland and a Master of Business Administration degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida, United States.
