Just to add a bit more to the fire:
Gandalf Airlines two Chief Pilots (TP & Jet ) both had NO airline experience when joining and were promeoted to the positions of Chief Pilot after less than 6 months in the company. One had Piaggio 180 experience and the other Beech 400. These guys are instructing and checking in the sim too. What a lot of people can't understand (me included) is why certain very experienced and competent airline pilots weren't offered the Chief pilots jobs...