Air India’s new owner, Tata Sons, said on Thursday it would appoint Campbell Wilson as its chief executive officer (CEO) of the airline. The appointment is subject to regulatory approval.
The appointment of a foreign national as CEO of an airline in India requires government clearance before it can proceed.
Tata Sons completed its purchase of the previously state-owned national carrier in January and has been searching for an executive to lead a major turnaround plan.
Wilson’s appointment comes after Turkey’s Ilker Ayci decided not to take on the role of chief executive of Air India after the announcement of his appointment.
WHO IS CAMPBELL WILSON
Campbell Wilson is the head of Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) budget carrier Scoot.
The 50-year-old New Zealand-born Wilson will step down from his current role on June 15.
Wilson will be replaced at Scoot by Leslie Thng, the current senior vice president, sales and marketing, at Singapore Airlines.
Wilson has 26 years of aviation industry expertise in both full service and low-cost airlines.
Wilson started off as a Management Trainee with SIA in New Zealand in 1996. He then worked for SIA in Canada, Hong Kong and Japan before returning to Singapore in 2011 as the founding CEO of Scoot, which he led until 2016.
Wilson then served as the Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing of SIA, where he oversaw Pricing, Distribution, eCommerce, Merchandising, Brand & Marketing, Global Sales and the airline’s overseas offices, before returning for a second stint as the CEO of Scoot in April 2020.
Wilson holds a Master of Commerce (1st Class Honours) in Business Administration from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.
Wilson, said, “It is honour to be selected to lead the iconic Air India and be a part of the highly respected Tata Group. Air India is at the cusp of an exciting journey to become one of the best airlines in the world, offering world-class products and services with a distinct customer experience that reflects Indian warmth and hospitality. I am excited to join Air India and Tata colleagues in the mission of realising that ambition.”
