Burlington Air Express Appoints 2 Executives to CEO Posts

Burlington Air Express, the international air-freight carrier, appointed two executives to replace those who departed during an executive shake-up after a failed management buyout in May.

Ray Wilson, who works out of the London office, was appointed chief operating officer in charge of the Atlantic region. He succeeds Anthony Hooey, who decided in June to resign rather than renegotiate his one-year contract as the company demanded.

As Burlington’s vice president for European operations, Wilson was responsible for expanding the company’s offices and warehouses there. He joined the company when he sold his All Transport International Group in London to the company in 1974.

Steve Dearnley, who was second in command of the company’s Singapore office, was named chief operating officer for the Pacific region and remains based in Singapore. He succeeds Christopher Porter, who also left in June.

Dearnley said he will be looking into expanding into newly emerging markets in Asia, such as Vietnam and the Philippines.

Burlington is a $900-million cargo express company based in Irvine.