Fury over AirAsia CEO’s shirtless massage photo during conference call

AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes has sparked controversy after posting a now-deleted photo of himself shirtless during a conference call on LinkedIn.

Tony Fernandes, the maverick CEO of AirAsia, known for shaking up the aviation industry with a disruptive Malaysian budget carrier, is facing criticism from his LinkedIn followers.

The cause of this controversy?

A now-deleted photo that Mr Fernandes shared on his LinkedIn page that shows him shirtless, receiving a massage while sitting at an office conference table and apparently overseeing a conference call.

In the image caption, Mr Fernandes wrote, “Got to love Indonesia and AirAsia culture that I can have a massage and do a management meeting.”

He explained that the massage was a spontaneous suggestion from a female colleague after what he described as a stressful week.

AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes sparks controversy after posting a photo of himself receiving a massage during a conference call on social media. Pictures: Alan Barber; LinkedIn

The image quickly stirred public backlash, with several commenters deeming it inappropriate for an executive to engage in bare-chested personal care while seemingly managing the company.

Rebecca Nadillo, a strategy and branding executive with a background at Meta and ad agency BBDO, was among those who criticised Mr Fernandes.

She expressed concern that female employees at the company might feel uncomfortable or unsafe in such a context, and due to his leadership position, they might be hesitant to voice their concerns.

“Given you’re the boss, they likely won’t challenge you or say anything,” she wrote.

“Got to love Indonesia and AirAsia culture that I can have a massage and do a management meeting”, wrote Tony Fernandes in a now-deleted photo. Pictures: LinkedIn

Approximately 100 responses followed the post, with many echoing Nadillo’s sentiments and urging Mr Fernandes to address what they perceived as a personal misstep.

Some responses to the controversy took a humorous tone, with one business owner suggesting, “This is handling stress management the right way,” while others commended Mr Fernandes’ boldness for displaying body positivity by publicly sharing the image of his shirtless self during the conference call.

In response to the criticism, Mr Fernandes explained that he had just completed an 18-hour flight and was experiencing discomfort, and the impromptu massage was suggested by a colleague in the Indonesia operation.

He acknowledged the backlash and stated, “You can never really explain the thought process behind a post, so I deleted it. I didn’t mean to offend anyone.”