Airline Cathay Pacific has announced that chief operating officer John Slosar will take over as chief executive next year, at a time when the company is looking to expand in mainland China.

The Hong Kong flag carrier said Slosar would take up the post after Tony Tyler steps down on March 31 to become head of the industry lobby group International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Slosar, 54, was managing director of parent company Swire Pacific's beverage division before joining Cathay in 2007.

Speaking to reporters, Slosar said the company planned to boost passenger capacity by 11 percent in 2011, as it looks to ramp up its China network, according to Dow Jones Newswires.

"We'll have a big focus in the next few years to develop our business in... mainland (China)," he said.

He added that he expects capacity growth in the cargo division to be slower than the passenger sector in 2011 due to a delay in freighter deliveries.

Cathay also said it was expanding its North American network by adding Chicago as a passenger destination and boosting the frequency of services to New York and Toronto.

Outgoing chief executive Tony Tyler will succeed Giovanni Bisignani as director-general and chief executive of the Geneva-based IATA.

He helped bring Cathay through one of its toughest times during the global financial crisis, which saw a plunge in air travel and global export volumes.

Tyler told staff that after 32 years with the airline his move would be "a wrench", but added: "I know I will be leaving the company in extremely good hands."

IATA represents some 230 carriers that account for more than 90 percent of scheduled air traffic globally but does not include many of the big budget airlines.