Premiering a new chapter in the realm of leisure and charter operations, Mr Premkumar Sivasankara Pillai has taken the helm as the Head of Leisure & Charter Operations – in India with the Eastwing Group, a prominent conglomerate headquartered in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The conglomerate boasts a diverse portfolio including Air Samarkand, Eastwing Aero (Airport Management Company), and Rocket International (DMC), among others.
Mr Prem brings over three decades of airline sales expertise to his new role, emerging as a well-known figure in the South India travel and tourism industry since 1992. His journey commenced with Swastik Tours & Travels Trivandrum in 1992, followed by tenure at Jaihind Tours & Travels Trivandrum in 1993. Venturing abroad, he served at Al Saadoun Travel & Tourist – Al Hasa in Saudi Arabia in 1994. Upon his return to India, Mr. Prem briefly joined Kerala Travels – Interserve – Trivandrum from 1996 to 1997 before embarking on a remarkable career trajectory.
His tenure at Air Lanka, commencing in July 1997, saw him ascend from Sales Executive to Assistant Sales Manager with GSA Spencer’s Travel Services Ltd. His career highlights include a significant role as Sales Manager – Kerala at Cathay Pacific, where he spearheaded sales efforts for both passenger and cargo operations. Notably, Mr. Prem initiated bonded trucking between Kochi and Chennai, a pioneering move in the aviation industry facilitated by Cathay Pacific.
In 2008, Mr Prem was promoted to Regional Manager in Kerala and subsequently joined Island Aviation Services Ltd, later rebranded as Maldivian, the national carrier of Maldives. His contributions continued until 2014, after which he assumed the role of General Manager at Classic Tours and Travels, Jordan. Returning to India in 2017, Mr Prem joined Regatta Holidays, a family business under the leadership of Mrs Jayalekshmi Premkumar, a former Sales professional at Korean Airways – Cochin. The couple has two children – Malavika Prem, a Talent Acquisition Specialist at DP World in Düsseldorf, Germany, and Mahadev Prem, a Robotics Engineer at Neura Robotics in Stuttgart, Germany.
Mr Prem holds a degree in Commerce from Kerala University, a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Relations & Journalism, a Diploma in Travel & Tourism Studies, and an IATA – UFTAA Diploma.
Premkumar’s appointment heralds a new era of growth and innovation at Eastwing Group Uzbekistan, as the conglomerate continues its journey towards excellence in leisure and charter operations.
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