Carolyn McCall joined easyJet on 1 July 2010 as Chief Executive Officer. Since joining easyJet Carolyn has been responsible for improving the airline’s punctuality to industry-leading levels as well as introducing important customer innovations like allocated seating. Her strategic focus has resulted in a series of milestone events including reaching the landmark of carrying 69m passengers annually and attracting more business travellers, with more than 12m now flying with easyJet each year – always ensuring easyJet provides easy and affordable travel for all. Under Carolyn’s leadership easyJet has consistently exceeded City expectations. 2012 saw the company achieving record profits and paying a dividend for the first time and in 2013 the company entered the FTSE 100. In 2013, Carolyn led a rigorous evaluation process and obtained shareholder approval for the purchase of 135 Airbus aircraft. Prior to joining easyJet, Carolyn was Chief Executive of Guardian Media Group plc. She was also was non-executive director of Lloyds TSB (from 2008–2009) and was a non-executive director of Tesco Plc (2005-2008), and of New Look plc (1999-2005). She was Chair of Opportunity Now (2005-2009) and a former President of Women in Advertising and Communications London (WACL). In 2013, Carolyn McCall was awarded the Airline Business ‘Airline Strategy Award for Low Cost leadership’. In the same year Carolyn was awarded City AM’s Personality of the Year award along with the Gold Medal Award from the Chartered Management Institute for her work in management. In 2014 she was the winner of the Business Achievement Award ‎at the British Travel Industry Hall of Fame Awards. Carolyn is Vice President of the French Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain, having joined the board in November 2012. She has also been a member of the Royal Academy Corporate Board for the last four years, and in September 2014 she joined the Burberry Board as non-executive director. In 2015 Carolyn was asked by the Prime Minister to join his Business Advisory Group. The body is made up of business leaders from large companies who will advise the Prime Minister and the Government on business issues. Carolyn was awarded a Damehood in the New Year’s Honour List in 2016 for services to the aviation industry, as well as being awarded the OBE for services to women in business in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in June 2008. In April 2008 she was named Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year. She graduated from Kent University with a BA in History and Politics and from London University with a Masters in Politics.