SITA gears up for growth in China with appointment of new general manager

SITA announced today that May Zhou has become Vice President and General Manager of SITA China. As a dedicated aviation professional, Zhou brings wide experience of the industry, combined with in-depth knowledge of the market in China.

China is currently the second largest air travel market in the world. By 2020, it is predicted that Chinese airlines will carry 700 million passengers, 97 new airports will open, and China will invest tens of billions of dollars to support its air transport industry. SITA has been working with airlines, airports, government agencies, and the Civil Aviation Authority in China for more than 30 years. Zhou’s remit is to ensure SITA continues to have a major part to play as the industry expands.

Ilya Gutlin, SITA President, Asia Pacific, said: “May is the perfect fit for SITA. She knows the air transport industry having thorough experience working over the years with the major suppliers to the industry. Her work with industry and government in China, as well as the US and other government agencies, gives her a unique understanding of the environment in which SITA operates. This is a very exciting time for aviation in China, and May’s appointment puts SITA in a strong position to continue to support the industry’s growth.”

Zhou spent six years at SITA as commercial director with responsibility for managing the sales team for SITA China. She was also Chief Operating Officer at InfoSky, SITA’s joint venture with TravelSky in China.

May Zhou, Vice President and General Manager of SITA China, said: “It is a very exciting time to take on this important role at SITA. The rapid expansion of aviation in China presents the challenge of how best to manage the growth. There is no doubt that advanced IT and telecommunications technology is at the heart of the answer, and I firmly believe SITA is best placed to support the Chinese airlines and airports well into the future.”

Zhou holds an Executive MBA degree from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, in the United States and a bachelor degree in Computer Science from University of Wisconsin.

SITA works with the major airlines, airports and partners in China to help them implement the latest technologies and integrate international best practices to support the major growth in the market. SITA’s Chinese customers include all the major airlines, such as Air China, China Eastern and China Southern, as well as the major international airports including Beijing Capital, Shanghai Pudong and Guangzhou Baiyun.