COPA HOLDINGS, S.A. Copa Holdings announced the appointment of Mr. Josh Connor and Mr. Andrew C. Levy as new independent board members effective January 1, 2016. They will replace Mr. Joseph Fidanque and Mr. Alfredo Arias who resigned from their positions on July 2014 and November 2015 respectively. Mr. Fidanque and Mr. Arias had been members of the board since December 2006.
With the additions of Mr. Connor and Mr. Levy, the Board of Directors will again be comprised of 12 members, 4 of which will be independent board members, up from 3 previously. Both Mr. Connor and Mr. Levy will be subject to ratification in the next annual shareholder meeting to be held in May of 2016. Mr. Connor is the founding partner of the investment firm Connor Capital SB, and has extensive experience in the transportation sector, having occupied high level positions in Investment Banking.
He was a Managing Director and the Head of the Industrials Banking Group at Barclays until July 2015, and was a member of the firm's Operating Committee. Prior to joining Barclays in 2011, he was with Morgan Stanley for 15 years and was the Co-Head of Morgan Stanley's Transportation & Infrastructure Investment Banking Group, a member of the firm's Investment Banking Management Committee, and was on the Board of Trustees for the Morgan Stanley Foundation Mr. Levy has extensive experience in the airline industry, most recently until 2014, as President, Chief Operating Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Allegiant Travel Company. In early 2001, Mr. Levy led - on behalf of a new ownership group - the effort to restructure and assume control of Allegiant.
He then held a leading role in the development and execution of the innovative strategy which has resulted in Allegiant becoming one of the world's most successful airline companies. During his tenure, his executive responsibilities included strategy, planning, finance, commercial, people and operations. Mr. Levy became President in 2009, served as Chief Financial Officer from 2007 to 2010, and was its Treasurer from 2001 through 2010.
