South African Airways (SAA) has announced that after a career spanning more than thirty years, the airline’s Head of Australasia, Thevan Krishna is retiring early in 2012.

According to Gcobani Mangcotywa, SAA’s Regional General Manager for Asia Pacific Region, Thevan has worked in a number of challenging and significant roles since joining the airline as Area Sales Manager in Natal in 1977.

“Thevan’s career has spanned senior management roles in Africa, United Kingdom, Europe and Australasia where his dedication, hard work, strategic skills and very strong knowledge of the global aviation industry have bought major benefits to SAA as we have become the leading airline serving the African continent,” Gcobani said.

“Thevan’s most recent mandate since late 2004 as Head of Australasia has seen SAA consolidate and grow its market share in very challenging circumstances. His deep experience and local market insights have meant that our operations out of Perth are one of our most successful global routes.”

According to Thevan, 2012 is a “fitting and appropriate time” to be leaving the airline. “I have spent the majority of my career at SAA which I believe is one of the great aviation icons of the world,” Thevan said.  “I’m very proud of what we have done in nearly 77 years of our existence and I am very confident that SAA will continue to be the best airline serving Africa for many years to come. I am particularly proud of our achievements in serving the thousands of Aussies and Kiwis who have visited Africa for recreation and business.”

Thevan said highlights of his time at SAA included the airline’s huge effort to support the Football World Cup in 2010, hosting both Australian and South African sporting teams to compete in rugby, cricket, football and numerous other pursuits, joining STAR Alliance as well as the strong growth of SAA’s routes on the African continent, now the most comprehensive of any global carrier.

Gcobani said that the airline had undertaken an international search for a new country manager for SAA in Australasia. “Tim Clyde-Smith joins SAA from the Passenger Sales Development area at Emirates Airlines. With 20 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry he has a broad cross-industry record of achievement and an in-depth knowledge of the airline industry. Tim joins SAA in April 2012 and will be based in Sydney,” Gcobani said. Ms. Chahmiran Ertas, Regional Manager, Finance will act in Thevan’s position until Tim joins.

“The management at SAA wish Thevan the very best for the future. He’s built an exceptional team in Australia and New Zealand and I am very confident about our future on the Wallaby Route,” Gcobani concluded.