$1.8 Million Raised in Support of Concern Worldwide at Event Honoring Christoph Mueller CEO of Aer Lingus

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Dec 10, 2013, 04:39 ET

NEW YORK, Dec. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- International humanitarian organization Concern Worldwide U.S. recognized Christoph Mueller, CEO of Aer Lingus, for his outstanding leadership in philanthropy at its annual Seeds of Hope Dinner on December 9^th in New York City. The event raised nearly $1.8 million in support of Concern's work in 27 of the poorest countries in the world.

"We were deeply honored to have the opportunity to formally honor Christoph for his unwavering commitment to making a difference in the lives of people across the world," says Dr. Joseph Cahalan, CEO of Concern Worldwide U.S. "As CEO of Aer Lingus, Christoph has not only been a remarkable business leader, but also a driver of social change through charitable partnerships and programs that make a lasting impact on people, particularly children, whose lives have been devastated by natural disaster or whose potential has been compromised because of extreme poverty."

Mueller's dedication to corporate philanthropy is evident in Aer Lingus' in-flight fundraising campaign in support of UNICEF, one of Concern's field partners, that has raised more than $16 million to date. Aer Lingus also has a track record of supporting emergency relief efforts following natural disasters, including the 2010 Haiti earthquake and most recently in the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan, by using its planes to deliver lifesaving humanitarian aid.

"I feel very privileged to receive the Seeds of Hope Award," says Mueller. "I accept the award on behalf of all Aer Lingus employees, past and present, who have shown their generosity of spirit, throughout the years, to those less fortunate than them. I am particularly honored that the award comes from Concern Worldwide, a very special organization which has achieved so much in the provision of humanitarian relief to the poorest of the poor for over four decades. On behalf of everyone in Aer Lingus, I thank Concern most sincerely for this recognition."

Mueller joined Aer Lingus as CEO in September 2009. He has successfully executed a major cost-savings program, has grown the Aer Lingus network through the expansion of partnerships with airlines such as JetBlue, and has refocused the airline's commercial strategy as a value carrier, the result of which has been a return to sustainable profitability. Mueller has also expanded the airline's transatlantic service, which will include direct flights from Dublin to San Francisco, among others, by 2014.

Dave Barger, President and CEO of JetBlue Airways, presented Mr. Mueller with the award at The Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. "Christoph is widely respected in this business for the innovative way he has positioned Aer Lingus for success in what has been a challenging time frame for the airline industry," says Barger. "But on top of his business acumen, Christoph is an example for how today's private sector leaders can make a lasting difference in people's lives. As leader of an airline with global reach, he is also a true global corporate citizen and is most deserving of this honor from a great humanitarian organization—Concern Worldwide."

Concern Worldwide
Concern Worldwide is an international, non-governmental humanitarian organization dedicated to reducing extreme poverty, with 3,000 personnel working in 27 of the world's poorest countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. Concern Worldwide targets the root causes of extreme poverty through programs in health, education, livelihoods and microfinance, HIV and AIDS, and emergency response, directly reaching nearly 7 million people in 2012. For more information, please visit concernusa.org or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.