MUMBAI — The Board of Directors
of Air India today announced the appointment of Tewolde Gebremariam as the airline’s Chief
Executive Officer and Managing Director, succeeding
Campbell Wilson. This executive transition marks a pivotal juncture
in Air India’s transformation
journey to become a world-class, leading global airline.
The Board conducted
a comprehensive search to identify
the next leader
for Air India, overseen by a dedicated Board
committee. The committee rigorously evaluated internal as well as highly
accomplished external candidates from across the world.
The objective of the Board was to identify a leader with a proven
record of managing mega-scale airline turnarounds, delivering operational
excellence, fostering a strong culture of
safety and service, and driving
profitable expansion.
Following an intensive evaluation process, the Board unanimously concluded that
Mr. Gebremariam possesses the ideal combination of leadership, deep operational
expertise, and strategic execution capability required for Air India’s next phase of growth.
Tewolde Gebremariam is widely recognized as one of the most
successful aviation chief executives. During his decade-plus tenure as CEO of
Ethiopian Airlines Group, he
spearheaded a multi-billion-dollar expansion, transforming a regional carrier
into Africa’s largest, most profitable, and decorated airline group—growing
revenue by more than fourfold and fleet size nearly threefold.
His unique strength
lies in managing
complex operational landscapes, driving cultural
transformation, building competitive global hubs, and developing world-class
MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) and aviation training infrastructure.
As Air India shifts from its foundational turnaround phase into a
high growth & profitable execution phase, Mr. Gebremariam brings crucial
capabilities required for Air India’s next leg of journey. He has strong
experience in expanding international long-haul networks and building
world-class hub operations, an unrelenting commitment to safety standards,
engineering quality, and operational reliability. He also has a track record of
driving sustained profitability. while
navigating complex economic cycles and dynamic global markets together with a
deep experience in workforce upskilling, talent development, and embedding a
high-performance, customer-first service culture.
N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman
of Tata Sons and Air India, said: "On behalf of the Board, I am delighted to welcome Tewolde to Air India.
Having completed the initial phase of stabilization, integration, and fleet commitments under Campbell's guidance, Air India is now entering a critical execution
and expansion era. Tewolde’s track record
in building one of the world's most efficient and profitable airline groups
makes him uniquely suited to lead Air India. His operational expertise, commitment to safety,
and
vision for hub development will be instrumental as we establish Air India as a premier global carrier and a source of
national pride."
Tewolde Gebremariam, Incoming
CEO & Managing
Director, said: "It is a profound honour to be entrusted with
leading Air India at such a historic
moment in its journey. Air India carries an incredible legacy,
and the opportunity to build a world-class global airline that reflects
India’s extraordinary economic
potential is uniquely
exciting. I look forward to working closely
with Chairman Chandrasekaran, the Board, our employees,
and all government and
industry partners to deliver exceptional operational reliability, warm Indian
hospitality, and sustained long-term growth."
This leadership transition reinforces Air India’s alignment with national priorities and stakeholder
expectations. Air India remains steadfastly committed to supporting India’s civil aviation
ambitions and national economic vision. Under Mr. Gebremariam’s
leadership, Air India will work closely with civil aviation authorities
and regulators to strengthen India’s position as a premier global aviation hub,
enhance international connectivity, and maintain
the highest benchmarks of aviation safety and compliance.
People are the backbone of this transformation. Mr. Gebremariam’s
leadership philosophy places people at the centre of organizational success.
Employees across all divisions—flight crew, ground operations, engineering, and
corporate—can look forward to a continued emphasis on training, exciting career
pathways, and an empowering work environment built on merit,
accountability, and pride
in our national carrier.
Air India belongs
to India and represents India to the world and is committed
to building a reliable, warm, and world-class airline that every Indian can be immensely proud of. Passengers will see an accelerated push toward on-time
performance, modern aircraft cabins, elevated hospitality, and
seamless global connectivity.
The Board also thanked Campbell
Wilson for his leadership over the past phase of
Air India’s revitalization. He successfully oversaw complex merger and
integration processes, initiated massive
fleet modernization programs,
established new corporate governance standards, and laid
the foundations that were necessary for the future.
With a solid foundation now in place, Air India enters its next era with clear strategic clarity,
robust capital backing, and world-class leadership at the helm. The Board is
fully confident that under Tewolde
Gebremariam, Air India will realize
its full potential as a premier global aviation power.
Further details regarding the exact onboarding timeline and transition schedule will be shared in due course.