15 Facts About Peter Bellew

Peter Brendan Bellew is an Irish businessman who joined low-cost carrier Ryanair as chief operating officer since 2017.

Peter Bellew has been in the tourism and aviation industry over 30 years.

In July 2019, Bellew announced that he would be leaving Ryanair at the end of the year, joining rival airline, easyJet.

Peter Bellew graduated with a Bachelor of Business Studies and MA in Economics from Trinity College Dublin in 1987.

In 2006, Peter Bellew joined Irish low-cost airline Ryanair as deputy director of flight operations, and held various capacities throughout his career there, including head of sales and marketing, director of flight operations, as well as director of training and recruitment.

On 1 September 2015, Peter Bellew joined Malaysian flag carrier Malaysia Airlines from Ryanair as chief operations officer, as part of the airline's ongoing restructuring program amid huge financial losses, compounded by the twin major aviation disasters of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 and Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in 2014.

On 1 July 2016, Peter Bellew officially took over as chief executive officer from Mueller, who resigned from the company less than a year into his contract, citing changing personal circumstances.

Peter Bellew was the third CEO of the airline in two years, and only the second ever foreign CEO after Mueller.

In July 2019 it was reported that Peter Bellew would leave Ryanair to join EasyJet by the end of 2019.

Ryanair had argued that, on leaving Ryanair Mr Peter Bellew was in possession of information of competitive value and that he was bound by covenant restraining him from working for another European airline for 12 months.

Peter Bellew had plagiarised a speech made by Irish Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar.

Peter Bellew apologised to the staff and the Taoiseach and stated he would write all of his own speeches in future.

In July 2020, the British Airline Pilots' Association launched a vote of no confidence against Mr Peter Bellew, citing his poor handling of the coronavirus pandemic, bypassing pilot unions and attempting to make 727 UK pilot redundancies with no business justification as reasons for the vote, which is due on Friday 17 July.

On 4 July 2022 after recent flight cancellations and disruptions it was confirmed by the easyJet CEO that Peter Bellew had resigned as COO "to pursue other business opportunities".

On 14th March 2023, it was announced that Peter Bellew was appointed Chief Operations Officer at Riyadh Air, a Saudi Arabian carrier.