Air India appoints former Ethiopian Airlines head Tewolde Gebremariam as CEO and Managing Director
Air India's Board of Directors has appointed Tewolde Gebremariam as its new CEO and Managing Director, succeeding Campbell Wilson. Gebremariam, who previously led Ethiopian Airlines Group for over a decade until 2022, is credited with transforming it into Africa's largest and most profitable airline. Under his leadership, Ethiopian Airlines' annual revenue quadrupled to USD4.5 billion, and its fleet nearly tripled. He also navigated the airline through significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2019 Boeing 737 MAX grounding, without government bailouts. N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons and Air India, stated that Gebremariam's experience in building a highly efficient and profitable airline group makes him uniquely suited to lead Air India into its next phase of execution and expansion. Gebremariam expressed his honor in taking on the role, aiming to build a world-class global airline that reflects India's economic potential. Outgoing CEO Campbell Wilson, who joined after Air India's privatization in 2022, oversaw its merger with Vistara, a brand overhaul, and a multi-billion-dollar fleet modernization program.
