Herrera with Hontiveros and Tourism Dir. Ronnie Tiotuico. Photo by Ric Gonzales
CLARK FREEPORT – The veteran corporate executive who successfully launched Gatorade sports drinks in the Philippines in 1995, and in other countries in Southeast Asia is now on board Philippines’ AirAsia as head of commercial operations.
Alfredo “Freddy” Herrera, former president and managing director of Quaker Oats Asia, Inc. recently joined the group of Clark-based AirAsia led by CEO Marianne Hontiveros.
Herrera spoke to Punto during the opening of the fourth AirAsia Travel and Service Center in the country at Tune Hotel in Angeles City. The center is operated by the airline’s partner, Gilda Padua.
“I was a veteran commercial products executive and was already retired when an airline took me in,” said Herrera, referring to his stints with Air Phil Express as senior vice president for marketing and sales and later with Zest Airways Inc. as chief marketing and sales officer.
Herrera said he was taken in to make AirAsia tickets “available easily and just about everywhere.”
“Just like Gatorade, which is now available even on small stores,” said Herrera in jest. The sports drink is sold in some 80 countries.
Herrera paralleled what AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes said in a press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia last August 7: “We want AirAsia to be known like Coke. Every household knows the brand.”
The carbonated soft drink also known as Coca-Cola launched in 1944 is available in at least 200 countries today.
For her part, Hontiveros welcomed the entry of Herrera in the airline which she co-owns with respected businessmen Antonio “Tony Boy” Cojuangco and Michael “Mikee” Romero.
Hontiveros said Herrera was taken in as part of the preparations for the launch of new regional flights of AirAsia beginning December.
She added that as their two brand-new Airbus a-320 new planes are set to be delivered “anytime in a few months” they will begin to aggressively start their “original plan” of offering international flights via the Clark International Airport.
