Tata Sons have now announced that on May 12. Scoot CEO Campbell Wilson has been appointed as the new MD and CEO of Air India.
Campbell Wilson has previously worked for the Singapore Airlines group for more than 15 years. Especially, in countries like Japan, Canada, and Hong Kong. Moreover, he began his career as a Management Trainee with SIA in New Zealand in 1996. Notably, SIA is a partner of Vistara, another airline also owned by Tata Sons.
Tata Sons appoint new CEO for Air India
His work for Singapore Airlines (SIA) took him to Canada, Hong Kong, and Japan. Before he made his return back to Singapore in 2011. As the founding CEO of Scoot. Which is a fully-owned subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, operational until 2016. After which he took up his new role as the Senior Vice President (Sales and Marketing) of Singapore Airlines. However, in the end he returned for a second stint as the CEO of Scoot in April 2020.
Campbell Wilson holds a M.Com (1st Class Honours) in Business Administration from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. He is noted as a key member of the industry for his 26 years of experience in Aviation.
N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Air India on the recruitment said. “I am delighted to welcome Campbell to Air India. He is an industry veteran having worked in key global markets. Cutting across multiple functions. Further, Air India would benefit from his added experience of having built an airline brand in Asia. I look forward to working with him in building a world-class airline.”
The CEOs of Air India
Ashwani Lohani is a retired officer of Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers. He served as the former MD and CEO of Air India.
After him it was Ilker Ayci who was offered the job. Apparently, he turned down the Tata Group’s offer to be Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India. News agency PTI said quoting aviation industry sources. On February 14, Tata Sons had said Ayci, now a former chairman of Turkish Airlines, would take on the roles of CEO and MD of the airline.
Ayci allegedly declined Tata Son’s offer after Swadeshi Jagran Manch. Which is an outfit linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Moreover, it called on the government to block the appointment of the hugely experienced Turkish aviation expert over ‘national security concerns’.
