Air India gets new CEO in Tewolde Gebremariam, the man who turned Ethiopian into a global carrier

According to reports, Gebremariam was chosen by the recently privatised Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to be its next CEO. But it was not clear why he did not join PIA.

As Air India’s first post-privatisation CEO, Wilson helmed the Tata group carrier through a turbulent period. Under him, the carrier embarked upon an ambitious transformation programme to shrug off its legacy image of a rundown government-owned airline, placed world record-breaking aircraft orders, faced challenges due to supply chain woes, suffered a tragic plane crash that killed 260 people, came under intense regulatory heat, and grappled with heavy financial losses and headwinds like airspace closures.

“The objective of the (Air India) 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,” Air India said in a release.

“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,” the airline added.

According to Air India, as it shifts from its foundational turnaround phase into a high-growth execution phase, Gebremariam brings crucial capabilities, given his strong experience in expanding international long-haul networks and building world-class hub operations. Under his leadership, Ethiopian Airlines transformed into a global airline and the largest carrier in Africa, and turned Addis Ababa into a major aviation hub. He also has a track record of driving sustained profitability while navigating complex economic cycles and dynamic and challenging global markets.

“On behalf of the board, I am delighted to welcome Tewolde to Air India. Having completed the initial phase of stabilisation, 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,” Tata Sons and Air India Chairman N Chandrasekaran 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,” Gebremariam said.

The Air India board also thanked Wilson for his leadership over the past phase of Air India’s revival journey. “He successfully oversaw complex merger and integration processes, initiated massive fleet modernisation 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 realise its full potential as a premier global aviation power,” the airline said.

Under Wilson’s watch, the foundational parts of the airline’s transformation plan have been executed—a new brand identity is in place, group airlines have been consolidated into two—Air India and Air India Express—from four and synergies in their networks and operations has gone up considerably, massive aircraft orders are in place to ensure a steady supply of new jets over the coming years, and hiring for key operational roles is being done on a continuous basis. Air India has also expanded collaboration with its shareholder Singapore Airlines, and has entered into or deepened partnerships with various other global airlines, including the likes of Lufthansa.