# Air India leadership transition

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/air-india-leadership-transition
> Updated: 2026-08-06T13:24:15.000Z. Sources: 20. Developments: 2.

In early August 2026, Air India announced the appointment of former Ethiopian Airlines Group chief Tewolde Gebremariam as its new Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, succeeding Campbell Wilson who had resigned in April. The board framed the move as the start of a “critical execution and expansion” phase, emphasizing Gebremariam’s experience in large‑scale turnarounds, fleet growth, and safety improvements.

Both reports note the airline’s substantial financial losses – $1.25 billion in FY 2024/25 and a further $2.8 billion for the year ending March 2026 – and highlight the challenges it faces, including a fatal Dreamliner crash in June 2025 and rising fuel costs. Tata Sons chairman N. Chandrasekaran reiterated that the turnaround could take five to ten years, relying on Gebremariam’s track record to strengthen Air India’s international network, safety standards, and overall profitability.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-06: Air India names former Ethiopian Airlines chief Tewolde Gebremariam as new CEO

Air India appoints former Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam to lead its turnaround, aiming to move from restructuring to growth amid large recent losses.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/air-india-names-former-ethiopian-airlines-chief-tewolde-gebremariam-as-new-ceo

### 2026-08-04: Air India names Tewolde Gebremariam as CEO and Managing Director

Air India appoints former Ethiopian Airlines chief Tewolde Gebremariam as CEO/MD, succeeding Campbell Wilson, as the carrier enters a critical execution phase amid $2.8 bn losses.

18 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/indias-csc-hires-32-aadhaar-supervisors-across-five-states

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Cite as: Air India leadership transition. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/air-india-leadership-transition