American Airlines’ executive vice-president of communications and marketing and chief communications officer, Ron DeFeo, is leaving the airline after 11 years as the carrier undertakes a wider overhaul of its senior leadership structure.DeFeo confirmed his departure in a LinkedIn post. His exit is one of three senior leadership changes announced as chief executive Robert Isom seeks to improve the airline’s performance and narrow its gap with rivals Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.The reshuffle will also change how American oversees communications and marketing. Caroline Clayton, who most recently served as senior vice-president of communications and chief marketing officer, will take responsibility for communications.Chief commercial officer Nat Pieper will assume a broader remit covering marketing, brand, advertising and partnerships.Clayton is among four executives joining American’s senior leadership team. The others are Heather Garboden, JC Gulbranson and Steve Neuman.Isom described the changes as part of an important period for the airline, acknowledging that American has a significant performance gap to close.“American is entering a defining moment,” Isom wrote in a letter to company officers.DeFeo’s departure comes alongside the retirement of Kevin Brickner, senior vice-president of technical operations, and the exit of Nate Gatten, executive vice-president of American Eagle, corporate real estate and government affairs.The airline is also expanding the responsibilities of several executives.Garboden, the chief customer officer, will report to Pieper and take on reservations, contact centres, service recovery and catering in addition to her existing responsibilities.Gulbranson will assume additional responsibility for airports and planning, while Neuman will oversee government affairs and sustainability. Chief financial officer Devon May will add corporate real estate to his portfolio.The changes bring communications, marketing, commercial strategy and customer operations into a more closely aligned leadership structure as American attempts to strengthen its competitive position.DeFeo joined American in 2015 and has led communications and marketing through a period that included the airline’s post-pandemic recovery, changes to its brand and customer strategy, and the rapidly evolving role of digital communications in the aviation industry.His departure also marks a significant change for the airline’s corporate communications leadership at a time when carriers are facing intense scrutiny over customer experience, operational reliability and financial performance.