Following the death of co-founder and chairman Wang Jian, HNA Group’s management have promised to continue with the company’s strategy and operations.

Wang died on a business trip to France, when he reportedly fell up to 15 metres from a wall while taking a picture during a sight seeing tour.

Local police in the village of Bonnieux, Province are not treating the 57-year-old’s death as suspicious.

HNA says operations will continue under the leadership of chairman Chen Feng and chief executive officer Adam Tan, with Chen taking over Wang’s duties and Tan continuing in his role.

The company says: “HNA’s Board and senior management team are comprised of talented individuals with deep global experience, and a long track record of working together successfully. They remain focused on steering the company and its operations through this difficult period.

“The disposition of the shares in HNA Group held by Mr. Wang at the time of his death will be addressed in due course, consistent with his pledge to donate them to charity, and in accordance with all applicable legal and regulatory guidelines. HNA Group is committed to providing timely updates, as appropriate, when they become available.”

The Chinese conglomerate has interests in a number of areas including aviation, owning handling agent Swissport, a major share in Frankfurt-Hahn Airport and numerous airlines including Hainan Airlines, Tianjin Airlines, Beijing Capital Airlines and Yangtze River Airlines, which has been renamed Suparna Airlines.