When Tata Group began searching for a successor to Campbell Wilson, it was likely looking for more than just an airline executive. It probably wanted someone who had built an airline, navigated crises, expanded globally and consistently delivered profits in one of the world's most competitive aviation markets. Tewolde Gebremariam appears to bring many of those credentials as he takes charge of Air India's next phase. Notably, he had also been shortlisted for the chief executive's role at Pakistan International Airlines Corp., according to a Bloomberg News report in July, underscoring his standing in the global aviation industry.
On Wednesday, the Tata Group-owned airline appointed the former Ethiopian Airlines Group chief as its Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, handing one of global aviation's most respected turnaround specialists the responsibility of steering India's flagship carrier through the next phase of its transformation.
