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Frontier Names James Dempsey Permanent CEO

The board elevated the longtime insider following an abrupt December exit by Barry Biffle with no public explanation.

Overview

  • Frontier Group Holdings’ board elected James Dempsey president and chief executive on January 8, confirming him in the role after a brief interim period.
  • Dempsey had served as interim CEO since December 15, 2025, the day Biffle stepped down, and Biffle continued as an adviser through December 31.
  • The company did not state a reason for Biffle’s departure, and Dempsey’s same-day interim appointment was unusual for an industry that typically plans transitions months ahead.
  • Dempsey joined Frontier in 2014 as chief financial officer, later became president in 2023, and previously held senior roles at Ryanair and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
  • Board chair Bill Franke cited Dempsey’s track record and cost discipline, and Dempsey pledged to deliver long-term shareholder value as the airline targets the higher end of its Q4 2025 adjusted EPS range of $0.04 to $0.20.