Air India has named former Ethiopian Airlines Group chief executive Tewolde Gebremariam as its new Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director. The announcement came from Air India’s Board of Directors on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, following what the airline called a comprehensive global search. Gebremariam succeeds Campbell Wilson, and his appointment has drawn attention both for his aviation record and for questions about why the Tata owned carrier again looked outside India for its top job.
Who is Tewolde Gebremariam?
Tewolde Gebremariam, 61, led Ethiopian Airlines Group as Chief Executive Officer for more than a decade, from 2011 until his resignation in March 2022. Under his leadership, the airline transformed from a regional carrier into Africa’s largest and most profitable airline group.
“Under his leadership, the carrier evolved from a regional operator into Africa’s largest and most profitable airline group, with revenue increasing more than fourfold and the fleet nearly tripling in size,” Air India said in its official announcement, as reported by Medianews4u on August 5, 2026.
His background spans long haul network expansion, hub operations, aircraft maintenance infrastructure and aviation training. After leaving Ethiopian Airlines, reports in mid July 2026 had linked him to a leadership role at Pakistan International Airlines following its privatisation, before Air India’s announcement.
Why did Air India choose Tewolde Gebremariam as CEO?
Air India said its Board committee evaluated both internal and external candidates from around the world before settling on Gebremariam. The airline said it was looking for a leader with a track record in large scale airline turnarounds, safety, service and profitable growth.
N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons and Air India, explained the rationale behind the choice. “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,” Chandrasekaran said, according to Medianews4u’s report.
Gebremariam himself described the appointment as a significant responsibility. “It is a profound honour to be entrusted with leading Air India at such a historic moment in its journey,” he said in the same statement.
Why wasn’t an Indian executive chosen?
Air India has not publicly explained why it did not select an Indian candidate, only stating that the search covered “internal and highly accomplished external candidates from across the world,” according to ANI’s report on August 5, 2026.
This marks the second consecutive appointment of a non-Indian chief executive at Air India since the Tata Group took over the airline. Campbell Wilson, a New Zealander with an aviation background at Singapore Airlines and Scoot, led Air India through its early turnaround phase, including its merger with Vistara and a major fleet modernisation programme, before his exit this year. Air India said Gebremariam will now lead the airline into what it called an execution focused phase, building on that earlier turnaround work.
Controversies linked to Tewolde Gebremariam
Gebremariam’s tenure at Ethiopian Airlines was not without scrutiny. During the Tigray War in Ethiopia, a CNN investigation in 2021 alleged that Ethiopian Airlines cargo planes had transported weapons between Addis Ababa and Eritrean airports in November 2020, citing cargo documents and eyewitness accounts. Ethiopian Airlines denied the allegations at the time.
Separately, a December 2020 report in The New York Times said Gebremariam, who is of Tigrayan origin, had reportedly been barred from leaving Ethiopia after the conflict began. Ethiopian Airlines denied that any employee was suspended or terminated over ethnic background, and Gebremariam was later seen at international events in October 2021.
These episodes relate to the period of the Tigray conflict and Ethiopian Airlines’ operations at the time. They have not been raised by Air India or the Tata Group in connection with his current appointment.
What does this mean for Air India going forward?
Air India said Gebremariam’s priorities will include strengthening international connectivity, supporting India’s ambition to become a global aviation hub, and maintaining high standards of aviation safety and compliance. The airline also said it would continue to focus on employee training and career development under the new leadership.
The Board thanked outgoing CEO Campbell Wilson for steering Air India through a complex phase that included merger integration, fleet modernisation and governance reforms. Further details about Gebremariam’s exact date of joining are expected to be announced by Air India in the coming weeks.