Former Ethiopian Airlines chief to lead Air India

New Delhi/ Mumbai: Air India on Wednesday appointed former Ethiopian Airlines Group chief Tewolde Gebremariam as the CEO and Managing Director, marking another change of guard at the airline after the takeover by the Tata Group four years ago.

An Ethiopian national, Gebremariam will replace New Zealander Campbell Wilson, who announced his resignation from the loss-making airline in April this year. While announcing the appointment, Air India said Gebremariam is widely recognised as one of the most successful aviation chief executives. The executive transition marks a pivotal juncture in the airline’s transformation journey to become a world-class, leading global airline, the airline said in a release.

Gebremariam, who will be the second foreign CEO at Air India, will be taking over the reins at a time when the airline is working on its ambitious expansion plans amid multiple external headwinds.

“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 three-fold,” Air India said in a release.

According to the release, 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.