HeliOffshore has announced the appointment of Hank Williams and Jeremy Akel to its board. Gretchen Haskins will move from CEO of HeliOffshore to a new position on the board. Francois Lassale will become acting CEO of HeliOffshore from 1 May 2020.

Bill Chiles, chairman, says: “Both Hank and Jeremy have exceptional track records in the Industry and have played an active role in our joint commitment to safety through HeliOffshore for many years, Hank as chief operating officer of Cougar Helicopters, Jeremy as group CEO of Omni Helicopters International. I look forward to working even closer with them as we press forward with our important work to ensure no lives are lost in offshore flight.

“Gretchen has led HeliOffshore from its initial start-up in 2014 to today's strong organisation delivering global safety collaboration in our industry. While we will miss her inspired leadership in the CEO role, we are pleased to have secured her ongoing contribution as a board member. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Gretchen for her phenomenal contribution to the safety of our industry. We have been very fortunate to have chosen the 'best of the best' for this role almost six years ago, and I am so impressed with the progress that we have made under her leadership. Details about a suitable celebration of her service will follow in due course.

“I am pleased to announce that Francois, HeliOffshore's chief operating officer and a significant contributor to HeliOffshore since 2015, has accepted the position of acting CEO. Francois is a leading candidate for the permanent role while the board conducts essential due diligence.

“The safety of those who travel with us every day, and the dedicated men and women who work in this industry, remains our sacred duty. There truly isn't a higher calling. I look forward to further progressing our collaboration for safety with Hank, Jeremy and Gretchen on the board and Francois at the helm.”