Airline's digital chief has impressive CV

Avi Golan has held senior leadership roles at companies including Google, Barnes and Noble and Intuit.

Air New Zealand has appointed former Google executive Avi Golan to the new role of chief digital officer.

Golan will be part of the top executive team. He has held senior leadership positions in a range of companies, including Google, Barnes and Noble, Olive Software and Intuit where he is currently working.

In an announcement to staff, chief executive Christopher Luxon said Golan would play a critical role within the airline to enhance the new revenue opportunities that digital brings, to minimise online security risks and to drive customer innovation.

Luxon said Golan was a strong product and engineering leader, with experience in building consumer-based web and mobile products for a variety of industries.

Golan is also co-founder of the Israeli Entrepreneurs and Founders Foundation in the United States, an organisation that helps technology start-ups be more successful in Silicon Valley. He has an MBA and a Bachelor of Computer and Information Science. He was educated at Tel Aviv University.

Golan and his wife Osnat have two adult children and a teenage son, who will complete his last year of school in New Zealand when they move here with him in mid-January.