In brief
Air India has selected Tewolde Gebremariam, the former COO of Ethiopian Airlines, as its new chief executive. The decision comes as the carrier deals with record losses of nearly $2.3 billion and the ongoing impact of the fatal Ahmedabad‑London crash that killed 260 people. Gebremariam’s track record of steering Ethiopian through a Boeing 737 MAX disaster and the COVID‑19 crisis makes him a potential saviour for Air India’s troubled operations. The airline’s board praised his operational expertise and leadership skills, while the new CEO vows to rebuild safety culture and revitalize the fleet. Air India’s turnaround may take up to a decade, but the appointment signals a fresh push toward a world‑class global airline.
Air India names new chief executive amid mounting challenges.
Air India has appointed Tewolde Gebremariam, formerly the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines and a seasoned airline executive, as its new chief executive. The appointment follows the resignation of Campbell Wilson in April and a steeping pace of operational turmoil.
Gebremariam, who grew Ethiopian into Africa’s largest carrier, will now grapple with a series of economic and safety hurdles. The airline recently announced a record loss of nearly $2.3 billion (about £1.7 billion) and is expected to sustain losses for the foreseeable future.
A key reason for hiring Gebremariam is his experience turning a carrier through black‑swan events: the 2019 Boeing 737 MAX tragedy that killed 157 people and the COVID‑19 pandemic that forced the airline to shift focus from passenger to cargo freight. Aviation experts noted that his leadership reinforced trust among Ethiopian’s pilots and engineers during those crises.
Air India’s board said Gebremariam was chosen "unanimously," citing his potential to steer the airline into the next phase of growth and to rebuild a world‑class airline that "reflects India’s extraordinary economic potential". He is expected to bring fresh focus to workplace culture, employee morale, and fleet expansion.
He will also need to navigate the fallout from last year’s fatal crash that killed 260 people, the final crash report of which is due in October. Air India has also paused nearly a third of its international routes and continued to confront operational setbacks—most recently a Delhi‑Vancouver flight returning after almost eight hours for lack of Canadian airspace clearance.
With the airline’s future alignment with the Tata Group’s competitive ambitions, Gebremariam’s appointment marks a decisive move to tackle the rot that has gripped the carrier since its privatization in 2022.
