Air India CEO Campbell Wilson on the way out, say reports; airline looking for replacement after term end in 2027
According to Reuters and Economic Times, Indian aviation giant Air India wants to replace CEO and MD Campbell Wilson at the end of his term next year.
Tata-owned low-cost carrier Air India Express is also expected to replace current CEO Aloke Singh after his tenure ends next year, i.e. in 2027, the ET report said.
live mint It has reached out to Air India and Air India Express for comment on the reports and this copy will be updated upon receipt of responses.
Will Air India CEO Campbell Wilson be replaced? What do we know?
Reuters cited two sources who said Air India was actively searching for Wilson’s replacement amid increased scrutiny from regulators following the deadly crash last June that killed 260 people.
He added that the review led to flagging deficiencies in operations, including fraud, delays in replacing engine parts, planes flying without emergency equipment checks and deficiencies in managing crew fatigue.
Wilson added that Singapore Airlines and Tata Group did not respond to questions on the matter.
Notably, Wilson’s tenure at Air India is scheduled to end in June 2027.
Is N Chandrasekaran unhappy with Campbell Wilson?
Meanwhile, the ET report stated that officials said Tata Group and Air India chairman N Chandrasekaran were unhappy with Wilson’s crisis management and pace of recovery. The report also said Wilson had interviewed at least two prominent US and UK-based executives as potential candidates to replace him.
The ET report also said that Chandrasekaran had held periodic performance reviews with Wilson over the last few months before deciding on this step.
Who is Campbell Wilson? Everything about the high-profile executive is under the spotlight
Campbell Wilson took over as chairman of Air India in July 2022 after heading low-cost airline Scoot, owned by Singapore Airlines (SIA). At the time, he had 26 years of aviation industry experience with both full-service and low-cost airlines.
He began his career as a Management Trainee at SIA in New Zealand in 1996, working in offices in Canada, Hong Kong and Japan, before returning to Singapore in 2011 as the founding CEO of Scoot, a position he held until 2016.
Wilson then served as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at SIA, where he oversaw Pricing, Distribution, eCommerce, Merchandising, Brand and Marketing, Global Sales and the airline’s overseas offices, before returning for a second term as CEO of Scoot in April 2020.
Under his leadership, Air India acquired the erstwhile Vistara Airlines and expanded its fleet strength.
