Air India Looks for New CEO to Replace Campbell Wilson: Report

In the wake of the world’s deadliest aviation disaster in a decade, regulators flagged problems ranging from planes flying without emergency equipment checks to delays in replacing engine parts, forging maintenance records and shortcomings in managing crew fatigue.

Wilson took over as CEO and managing director of Air India in July 2022, following a 26-year career with Singapore Airlines; where he held various senior roles at the flagship airline and its wholly owned low-cost arm Scoot.

New Zealand-born Wilson’s tenure at Air India will end in mid-2027, but he could be appointed before then, according to the Economic Times newspaper, which first reported the search for a new CEO on Monday.

Air India is chaired by N. Chandrasekaran, who is also the chairman of majority owner Tata Group. Singapore Airlines owns 25 percent of Air India.

Tata Group, Singapore Airlines, Air India and Wilson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Tata was unhappy with the airline’s performance after Wilson last year gave him a blank check to resolve its problems after it was bought from the Indian government, one of the sources told Reuters. Both declined to identify themselves due to the sensitivity of the issue.

The Economic Times reported that Chandrasekaran was in talks with the CEOs of at least two leading UK and US-based international airlines as potential successors to Wilson, citing officials familiar with the matter.

The group’s low-cost carrier Air India Express is also likely to see similar leadership changes, the paper added.

Air India was India’s state carrier before the loss-making airline was privatized and sold to the Tata Group in 2022 in a bid to revive its fortunes.

Since then, the conglomerate has invested heavily to modernize the fleet and expand routes, but the airline’s turnaround has been challenged by delays in aircraft deliveries and renewals, as well as operational issues and safety concerns.