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Air India announced the appointment of Tewolde Gebremariam after its board conducted a comprehensive global search overseen by a dedicated committee that evaluated both internal executives and accomplished external candidates. The board sought a leader with a proven record in managing large-scale airline turnarounds, operational excellence, safety culture and profitable growth, according to the carrier’s statement issued on its newsroom. Gebremariam’s selection signals the completion of Air India’s foundational integration phase under Wilson, whose resignation takes effect September 30, the statement added. The Tata Group owns about three-quarters of Air India, with Singapore Airlines holding the remaining stake.
During more than a decade as CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group from 2011 until early 2022, Gebremariam spearheaded a multi-billion-dollar expansion that transformed the carrier from a regional player into Africa’s largest, most profitable and decorated airline group, the Air India announcement stated. Revenue grew more than fourfold while fleet size nearly tripled under his leadership, with the Addis Ababa hub developed into a major international connecting point alongside new maintenance, training and catering facilities. An internal Air India document reviewed by Reuters described him as a change leader particularly skilled in crisis management, a background that includes guiding Ethiopian through the 2019 Boeing 737 MAX crash that killed 157 people and the subsequent global grounding as well as the COVID-19 pandemic without government bailouts.
Gebremariam previously ran Ethiopian’s India and Southeast Asia business from Mumbai in the mid-1990s and has advised Delta Air Lines on international strategy plus the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation on aviation and logistics projects in emerging markets, Reuters reported. His experience also encompasses building competitive global hubs, world-class maintenance repair and overhaul capabilities, and fostering high-performance service cultures centred on workforce development. The appointment arrives as Air India shifts focus from merger activities with Vistara and large aircraft orders toward delivering safe, reliable and profitable operations on a daily basis.
Air India Group posted a record loss of more than $2 billion in fiscal 2025-26, according to a Singapore Airlines report cited by Reuters. The carrier faces ongoing regulatory scrutiny following a deadly crash last June that killed more than 260 people, with a final investigation report still pending, while it has also cut some international flights amid restricted airspace over Pakistan and tensions involving Iran. Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran has previously stated that the full turnaround could take up to a decade, Reuters noted.
N Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons and Air India, said in the announcement, “On behalf of the Board, I am delighted to welcome Tewolde to Air India. Having completed the initial phase of stabilization, 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.”
Tewolde Gebremariam said in the statement, “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.” The board thanked Wilson for laying foundations through merger integration, fleet modernisation and improved governance standards, the carrier’s announcement concluded.
