By Nick Heath, 4 June 2009 16:01
NEWS
Virgin Atlantic Airlines is integrating its IT and finance departments, with IT director Mike Cope leaving the company as a result.
The airline told silicon.com: "Virgin Atlantic is integrating the activities of its IT and Finance departments, as well as other business services, so they are closely aligned under Finance Director Tim Livett. As a result of this new strategy, our Director of IT, Mike Cope, is pursuing other opportunities.
"We would like to wish Mike well in the future and thank him for his hard work in upgrading our IT systems, resources and infrastructure during his tenure."
The IT department has about 110 permanent staff, tasked with looking after back office systems for the airline and the 4,500 desktops used by its 5,000 ground staff.
Cope had been with the airline for more than two years. Speaking to silicon.com in December 2008, Cope discussed IT projects were in the pipeline at the airline, including virtualisation and leaner datacentres.
Under Cope's stewardship Virgin also delivered the Limo Drive Through System, a complex web of computer systems that allows business class passengers departing from Heathrow to step out of their front door and into a Limousine that takes them straight to the departure lounge.
In contrast to poor financial performance at many of its rivals, Virgin Atlantic said its pre-tax profits had increased from £34.8m to £68.4m in the 12 months to the end of February 2009. But earlier this year the airline warned it was consulting with 600 staff and their unions over potential job cuts.
Comments
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1. Simon Allen
May I extend my condolences to the Virgin Atlantic Airways IT staff? How tragic to hear of yet another company that has failed to see IT as anything other than a way to save money.
I was in a major UK retailer in the mid-90s when they did the same thing and, effectively, downgraded the whole IT department. The loss of morale was enormous.
There is also the point to be made that it means IT has failed, once again, to convey to the Board what it can do. A dark day for IT in the UK.
2. Charles Smith
I dispute Simon Allen's view. I've seen several Finance Director's do a good job of being the boss of an IT Department. It tends to make the financing of major projects easier rather than more difficult. Having the FD behind a project can be a major boost, particularly as the responsibility for success now lays with the FD.
I come from a pure IT background since 1970 so I'm hardly biased.