Stephen Johnson, Vice Chair and Chief Strategy Officer of American Airlines, has been appointed as a member of the board of directors of JetSMART Airlines, marking a key step in the strategic alliance the two companies have pursued since 2021. This alliance began with an announcement of a minority investment by the American airline in the low-cost carrier, which then materialized in 2023 with a code-share agreement between their networks in the United States and Chile, later expanded to include Peru.
According to a statement, at American Airlines, Johnson “leads work related to strategy design and development across the airline, American’s focus on the economy and its impact on business, as well as corporate development.” He also “provides advice to the CEO and the board of directors of American and works with the senior leadership team on key markets and competitive issues; corporate governance, social purpose, and sustainability; policy development, external affairs, and labor relations strategy.”
Estuardo Ortiz, CEO of JetSMART, said that Johnson “brings over 30 years of experience in corporate leadership and board roles. His broad business vision will be a key asset for our expansion plans in South America.”
Johnson added that “the alliance between American and JetSMART opens up a world of possibilities for our customers to have access to the largest network, the lowest fares, and the best travel rewards program in America.”
Andrew Broderick, General Director of Indigo Partners, the parent holding company of JetSMART, commented during the first board meeting with Johnson in Santiago that his “experience and industry knowledge will be a great asset as we expand our alliance with American and work towards JetSMART’s goal of connecting 100 million passengers in South America.”
Stephen Johnson is a professor of Law at Berkeley and the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and is a member of the Executive Advisory Board of the Berkeley Center for Law and Business.
He earned his MBA and Juris Doctor from the University of California, Berkeley, after beginning his higher education at the University of Washington and earning a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from California State University, Sacramento.
