Air India names former Ethiopian Airlines executive Tewolde Gebremariam as CEO    

Air India, the country’s largest international carrier, has named former Ethiopian Airlines chief executive Tewolde Gebremariam as its new CEO, bringing in one of Africa’s most experienced airline executives as the loss-making carrier works to recover from last year’s fatal crash and increased regulatory scrutiny. 

The appointment ends Air India’s months-long search for a new chief executive and comes at a difficult point in the airline’s revival under Tata Group ownership. 

“It takes someone with a particular set of skills and experience to navigate such a complex situation,” independent aviation analyst John Strickland said. He described Gebremariam as a “really excellent” choice to lead an airline facing several challenges at once.

Gebremariam brings Ethiopian record 

Gebremariam led Ethiopian Airlines Group from 2011 to 2022, helping turn the carrier into Africa’s largest airline and one of the continent’s strongest aviation businesses. 

During his 11-year tenure, annual revenue rose from about $1 billion to $5 billion, while the airline recorded a net profit of about $1 billion in 2022. Passenger traffic increased from 3 million to 12 million, while cargo volumes rose from 160,000 metric tons to 760,000 metric tons. 

The airline also more than doubled its international destinations, from 64 to 128, while its workforce grew from about 6,300 to 17,000 employees. 

Gebremariam also led Ethiopian through two major crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2019 Boeing 737 Max crash that killed 157 people. 

His experience in managing an airline through periods of severe disruption is likely to be closely watched at Air India, which is dealing with operational, financial and regulatory pressure.

Air India faces more work ahead

Gebremariam succeeds Campbell Wilson, who spent four years leading Air India’s revival after Tata Group took control of the carrier in 2022. 

Wilson oversaw the airline’s merger with Vistara, a major brand overhaul and fleet modernization as part of Tata’s broader effort to rebuild Air India as a global carrier. 

He resigned in April, almost a year after the crash, while the airline continued to report losses. Wilson will remain in the role until Sept. 30 to complete his notice period. 

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

The Air India Group, founded in 1932, now operates more than 300 aircraft and serves more than 70 international and 150 domestic destinations. Its five-year transformation program, Vihaan.AI, covers the airline’s fleet, operations, customer experience and network. 

The group reported a record loss of more than $2 billion in fiscal 2025-26, according to Singapore Airlines’ annual report. Singapore Airlines owns about 25% of Air India, while Tata Sons owns the remaining stake. 

Air India enters next turnaround phase

Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran said Wednesday that Air India had completed the initial phase of stabilization, integration and fleet commitments under Wilson and was moving into a more demanding period of execution and expansion. 

In Air India’s annual report released last week, Chandrasekaran said the turnaround could take up to a decade, underscoring the scale of the task facing Gebremariam. 

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

The appointment gives Air India an executive with a record of managing rapid growth and crises. The next test will be whether he can translate that experience into a sustainable turnaround for Tata Group’s flagship airline.