Malaysia Airlines' pitch process delayed by AirAsia share-swap deal

The pitch, which was called in May, will likely go forward at the earliest in September only after the Muslim month of Ramadan ends. 

For the master creative pitch, the shortlisted agencies were Draftfcb, Ogilvy & Mather and M&C Saatchi while for the brand identity pitch the agencies shortlisted were Johan Design and Associates and Futurebrand in partnership with Draftfcb. 

Sources close to the pitch process said that they were told of the pitch delay, which sees presentations postponed from end-July, before the full extent of changes at Malaysia Airlines were made public. 

It was already known that Malaysia Airlines chairman Tan Sri Mohd Murnir Abdul Majid was set to depart, but the share-swap deal sees AirAsia gain a 20 per cent stake in Malaysia Airlines, and government-controlled Khazanah Nasional Bhd (MAS's majority stakeholder) take a 10 per cent stake in AirAsia.

Since the agreement, Malaysia Airlines managing director Tengku Datuk Azmil Zahruddin has stepped down along with seven other directors. 

"The implication was that we would be presenting to a new board," said a source. However no update has been issued since the agreement on Monday.

The new board will include AirAsia chief Datuk Tony Fernandes, his co-founder partner Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, Datuk Rohana Rozhan, CEO of Astro Malaysia, David Lau, director of Axiata, IJM Corp Bhd executive deputy chairman Tan Sri Krishnan Tan and Land & General Bhd founder Tan Sri Wan Azmi Wan Hamzah.