Professional Career of the General Manager

The Mozambican company Mozambican Airlines has a new management structure. With the Board of Directors now extinct, the General Management system was retaken, with João Carlos Pó Jorge as its head. With vast experience at the company, Pó Jorge takes LAM’s helm for an 18-month term.

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Ana Coanai, Chairman of the Board of Directors at IGEPE - State Holdings Management Institute, of which LAM is a part of as a state-owned company, appointed him as Managing Director.

João Carlos Pó Jorge’s appointment results from his deep dedication to the aviation industry for over 34 years, largely in Operations and Management, both in airlines and other aviation-related companies.

“My professional career started in 1985 at LAM, where I joined the staff as a Mechanical Engineer”, he says.

Due to his dedication, Pó Jorge was appointed two years after joining the company to the position of Head of the Engineering Department. “My responsibility increased with the appointment to coordinate the interaction between LAM and manufacturers, for the design and manufacture of aircraft and components by Boeing, General Electric, SELL, among other brands.”

Years later, João Carlos Pó Jorge was appointed LAM's resident representative at Boeing (United States of America), between 1990 and 1993. “After this stage, I returned to LAM’s head office in Maputo, where I took over the position of Head of Engineering and Quality from 1993 to 1995. During this period, I promoted aircraft planning and engineering, flight operations engineering, accident investigation, design, implementation and certification of aircraft modification programs, among other activities”, he recalls.

With the experience acquired and maximizing the contacts with third-party entities, he accepted the challenge to join the team at Pratt & Whitney, a North American company dedicated to the manufacture of aircraft engines, where he was Client Support Manager in Africa from 1995 to 2013. “During this period I worked in the United States, Zimbabwe, Senegal and Ethiopia, having set up offices in remote locations while coordinating the top management improvement activities in airlines in Africa, specifically in the Operational, Commercial and Financial areas.”

João Carlos Pó Jorge's professional career also includes experience with negotiating acquisition contracts, including the leasing of aircraft and engines. “In addition, I have brokered commercial contracts between airlines, and the detailed investigation of accidents, as well as the design and implementation of recommendations, and the introduction of management tools in airlines in Africa.”

He also coordinated team building efforts between regional offices and operation management departments with African airlines undergoing restructuring or growth. At the same time, he held temporary positions at the JFK, Zurich, Atlanta, San Francisco and Milan airports.

“I put my career abroad on hold in 2013, when I was invited to join LAM’s Board of Directors, having been Operational and Technical Director until 2016. Then I was appointed Advisor to the Financial Director, a position which I held until my appointment to the position of LAM’s Managing Director, on 23 July, 2018. "

With in-depth knowledge in team coordination regarding the negotiation of leasing, commercial, maintenance and acquisition contracts for aircraft and engines, João Carlos Pó Jorge participated in the restructuring of airlines both to correct irregular situations and to promote their expansion, as are the cases of Air Zimbabwe, TACV, TAAG, Air Afrique, Air Senegal, AeroZambia, and Ethiopian Airlines.

He has worked in many countries, where he has extended his professional experience. These are the cases of the United States of America, Canada, Portugal, France, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Madagascar, Malaysia, Singapore, Algeria, United Arab Emirates, among others. “In these countries I have worked and collaborated with several companies and airlines like Boeing, Airbus, GPA, Ethiopian Airlines, Lufthansa, UTA, Aer Lingus, Air France, Bombardier, Embraer, SAA, Air Zimbabwe, Air Afrique, Air India, Japan Airlines, World Bank and International Aeronautical Authorities.”

The interaction with several entities further improved the academic knowledge obtained with the degree in Mechanical Engineering from Eduardo Mondlane University, the MBA in International Management, from the Thunderbird School of Management, Arizona, USA, and in Airline Management, held by British Airways, in Luton, England.