By Staff Writer
(Nairobi, Kenya) — Tewolde Gebremariam, the long-serving former Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, has been appointed to lead Air India as the carrier struggles with mounting financial losses and heightened regulatory scrutiny, company officials confirmed on Wednesday.
The 66-year-old veteran aviation executive will succeed Campbell Wilson, who stepped down in April 2026. Headquartered in Gurugram, India, Air India had been conducting an international search for a chief executive capable of stabilizing operations following its 2022 privatization under the Mumbai-based Tata Group conglomerate.
Tewolde took charge of Air India during a turbulent transition period. According to industry reports, the airline recorded losses exceeding $2 billion for the 2025–26 fiscal year while attempting to integrate its fleet and operational network.
The flag carrier has also faced intense scrutiny from Indian aviation regulators following a high-profile safety incident last year, in which a Boeing 787 carrying 242 passengers skidded off the runway in Ahmedabad, western India.
Expressing confidence in the new leadership, the Chairman of Tata Sons noted that Air India is entering a “critical period of operational performance and global expansion.”
Aviation analysts view Tewolde’s appointment as a strategic move by Tata Sons, pointing to his decade-long tenure at the helm of Ethiopian Airlines, where he established Africa’s largest and most profitable aviation group.
During his leadership in Addis Ababa, Tewolde successfully steered the flag carrier through major global crises—including the severe industry fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and the operational aftermath of the March 2019 Boeing 737 MAX crash near Bishoftu.
Prominent aviation analyst John Strickland told Reuters that Air India requires an executive with exceptional operational experience to navigate its structural challenges, describing Tewolde as “the right choice” to steer the airline through its restructuring process.
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This brother was one of those peerless geniuses who made EAL the most successful airlines in Africa and the world that made us all madly proud. Congratulations Dear Brother Tewolde and we all wish you continued success.