New Director of Corporate Communications in Sweden

Andris Zvejnieks has been appointed the new Director of Corporate Communications at SAS Scandinavian Airlines Sweden. Andris, who was formerly Head of Corporate Communications at IBM Svenska AB, will assume his new position early in 2005.“We are very pleased and proud to have recruited Andris Zvejnieks,” says Anders Ehrling, President of Scandinavian Airlines Sweden. “Andris has long and broad experience of communication during transitional phases, and this is exactly what we need. Furthermore, his earlier background as Head of Communications for the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration (LFV) at Arlanda is a great asset for us.”

Andris Zvejnieks has worked with internal and external communications for more than 20 years. For the past ten years, he has held the position of communications manager.

“Sometimes opportunities arise that you simply can’t turn down,” says Andris Zvejnieks. “And the job as Director of Corporate Communications is probably one of the most exciting jobs in the industry at present.”

“Competition is very fierce in the airline industry and SAS must be good at communicating the added value that the airline offers and that its competitors lack. This also means that the airline must ensure that its employees are aware of and can deliver the promises that are made to customers in market communications. Consequently, internal communication is essential and this is one of the areas that I will be prioritizing in my new job.”

Andris Zvejnieks, 47, is of Latvian extraction. He has a degree in political science from Uppsala University and his previous positions include that of information officer at Nacka Municipality, internal editor and press officer at Sweden Post, information officer at the Ministry of Public Administration, media relations for the KF Group and Head of Communications at LFV Arlanda.

Since 1999, Andris Zvejnieks has been Head of Corporate Communications at IBM Svenska AB, where he was also responsible for coordinating internal communications and PR in the Nordic region.

“Andris Zvejnieks will assume overall responsibility for communication of the Scandinavian Airlines Sweden brand and he will also be a member of the company’s executive management team,” says Anders Ehrling.

For more information, please contact:
Anders Ehrling, President, Scandinavian Airlines Sweden, tel: +46-8-797 1937
Andris Zvejnieks, tel: +46-70-793 5187

Facts on Scandinavia Airlines Sweden, a wholly owned subsidiary of SAS Group
Number of passengers per annum: About six million
Aircraft: 44
Employees: 3,000
Landings: 300 per day
Destinations: 44 within Sweden

Among carriers, Scandinavian Airlines today sells the most low-cost air tickets within Sweden.