Noida Airport names Nitu Samra interim CEO
Noida International Airport Ltd has appointed an Indian chief executive on an interim basis after its Swiss CEO was denied security clearance; It’s a move that could speed up approvals to begin commercial flights.
According to a company statement on Friday, Nitu Samra, who has been the airport’s chief financial officer since October 2021, has been appointed interim CEO with immediate effect, replacing Christoph Schnellmann, who has led the project since August 2020 and oversaw its development with many delays.
“Effective immediately, Nitu Samra has been appointed interim CEO until the board of directors concludes a formal selection process,” the statement said.
According to two people familiar with the development, the change came after the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), an office under the civil aviation ministry, denied Schnellmann permission, citing his foreign nationality and other regulatory requirements, including that new airports in the country must be run by Indian nationals.
security barrier
An airport’s CEO also serves as the designated security coordinator, a role that involves access to sensitive infrastructure and security-related data and requires Indian citizenship, a government official said.
Schnellmann will move into the role of executive vice president and remain on the board of directors of Yamuna International Airport Pvt. Ltd, the project developer and a wholly owned unit of Zurich Airport International AG. Zurich Airport will also manage the airport.
The company said the management change brings the airport into compliance with safety norms and ensures continuity of leadership as it moves closer to operations.
A formal search for a permanent CEO is underway.
“This management change aligns the airport with BCAS requirements while maintaining continuity in the airport’s leadership team. The newly structured team will support a smooth transition to operations guided by open and transparent management and a strong corporate culture,” said Daniel Bircher, President of Yamuna International Airport.
Located at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh, about 100 km from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, the airport is being developed as a major aviation hub for the National Capital Region. The first phase is designed to serve 12 million passengers per year and further expansion is planned.
The airport, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March, has not yet started operating and final approvals are awaited from many institutions. Commercial operations are expected to begin in mid-May.
The timing of the leadership change drew criticism from industry observers. “The appointment of an Indian CEO could have been done a long time ago. Why wait six years and raise the issue before business operations start?” asked GS Bawa, general secretary of the Air Passengers Association, a non-profit, public welfare society.
He added that an Indian CEO could help expedite overdue clearances, but the temporary nature of the appointment meant the issue could have been resolved more smoothly.
