Second exec quits easyJet after bust-up

By KARL WEST
Updated:


Easyjet finance chief Jeff Carr became the latest executive to quit the budget airline following the public bust-up between its founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou and the board.

Carr, who has held the role since 2005, is joining FTSE 100 bus and train operator FirstGroup as its finance director.

His departure comes just months after Sir Stelios questioned some accounting issues and refused to sign-off on the 2008 accounts.

Loss: Executive Jeff Carr is the second to quit troubled Easyjet

Loss: Executive Jeff Carr is the second to quit troubled Easyjet

Analysts believe that although Carr is jumping ship to a bigger company, Sir Stelios's tacit criticism of his stewardship of the accounts was the final straw.

Andrew Light at Citigroup said: 'His departure is not altogether surprising.

'Sir Stelios's public confrontation with management last November... cannot have helped.'

Last month, the no-frills carrier's chairman Sir Colin Chandler shocked the market by revealing he is stepping down early from the post amid suggestions he was fed up with the row over strategy between Sir Stelios and the management team.

EasyJet (down 12¼p at 305p) said it would begin the search for Carr's replacement immediately.

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