Air Malta Chief Commercial Officer Brock Friesen has been placed on long leave with immediate effect.

The airline confirmed this evening that it had appointed Robert Palmer to oversee the commercial operations of the company.

Mr Palmer is working hand-in-hand with Ernst & Young on the Air Malta restructuring project in his capacity as consultant.

Mr Palmer has many years of operational and financial experience in the airline business. In 1999 he joined easyJet as financial planning manager and, in 2002, became Group Financial Controller.

During his career at easyJet the airline transformed itself from a 12-aircraft operation with £100m turnover to a 145-aircraft, £2.7bn listed company, and Mr Palmer oversaw the financial decision to acquire 120 aircraft as well as the acquisition and integration of Go Fly in 2002/3.

Mr Palmer was also a director of a number of easyJet’s subsidiaries, including its joint venture ground handling company.

In 2007 Mr Palmer joined British Midland International as Chief Financial Officer, where he implemented a number of structural business changes including cost reduction measures as well as cash optimisation and working capital management.