Air India taps Ethiopian aviation specialist to steer turnaround

Bengaluru – Air India named former Ethiopian Airlines chief Tewolde Gebremariam as its chief executive on Aug 5, bringing in an industry veteran to drive its turnaround amid mounting regulatory scrutiny following a deadly crash in 2025.

The appointment concludes the loss-making carrier’s months-long search for a CEO during its most challenging period since returning to Tata Group ownership in 2022.

“It takes someone with a particular set of skills and experience to navigate such a complex situation,” independent aviation analyst John Strickland said, adding that Gebremariam was an “excellent” choice to lead an airline facing multiple challenges.

Gebremariam transformed Ethiopian Airlines into Africa’s largest carrier and guided it through two major crises: the Covid-19 pandemic and the fatal 2019 Boeing 737 MAX crash.

During his tenure, the airline’s revenue more than quadrupled, while its fleet nearly tripled.

Gebremariam succeeds Campbell Wilson as the airline grapples with losses and an ambitious turnaround, made more challenging by the 2025 crash that killed 260 people and intensified regulatory and operational scrutiny.

Wilson spent four years steering Air India’s revival after Tata’s takeover, overseeing the Vistara merger, a brand overhaul and fleet modernisation.

“Some of the fruits of Wilson’s efforts were only just beginning to be seen when the unfortunate crash happened. There is more work to be done,” Strickland said. “But Gebremariam is coming in with a good combination of his own experience and a very good foundation.”

Wilson resigned in April, nearly a year after the fatal crash, as Air India continued to post losses.

He will step down on Sept 30 after serving out his notice.

Air India Group posted a record loss of more than US$2 billion (S$2.56 billion) in fiscal year 2025-26, according to shareholder Singapore Airlines’ annual report.

SIA owns about 25 per cent of Air India, with Tata Sons holding the rest.

“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 phase,” Tata Sons chair N. Chandrasekaran said on Aug 5.

In Air India’s annual report released last week, he said the airline’s turnaround could take up to a decade, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing its new CEO.

“It’s not going to be some overnight sensation that suddenly changes because there’s a new boss. It will continue to take time, but Tewolde Gebremariam is better equipped than any other theoretical candidate for the role,” Strickland said. Reuters