Former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ethiopian Airlines Group, Tewolde Gebremariam, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India, following earlier media reports listing him among top choices to lead Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
Air India’s board unanimously confirmed the appointment to steer the carrier’s ongoing transformation under Tata Group ownership. The executive previously served as CEO of Ethiopian Airlines from 2011 to 2022, guiding the state-owned airline into one of Africa’s dominant aviation groups.
During his eleven-year tenure at Ethiopian Airlines, he expanded cargo networks, upgraded maintenance infrastructure and built aviation training centers that transformed Addis Ababa into a central transit hub linking Africa to global destinations.
The leadership change comes as Tata Group continues a multi-year restructuring of Air India following its acquisition in 2022. The group- which encompasses Air India, Air India Express, and Vistara- operates over 300 aircraft serving more than 100 routes worldwide, with an existing order book of 570 Airbus and Boeing jets to support future capacity.
Prior to taking the post at Air India, privatization officials in Pakistan identified Tewolde as a primary candidate to head PIA post-privatization, though sources confirmed he was never formally approached for the role.
