Khazanah, which is taking the ailing MAS private to restructure it under the MAS NewCo, said he has been CEO of Aer Lingus since 2009.
Khazanah managing director Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar, in a statement issued on Friday, said: “The Khazanah Board in its deliberations took into consideration the critical nature of the MAS restructuring, which requires absolutely the best aviation management expertise, and in particular, those with a strong track record of turning around national flag carriers. An extensive global search was undertaken that covered both international and local Malaysian talent.
"Christoph is the best candidate, and he has two equally important tasks: to lead the turnaround of our national carrier and to build local succession."