# Tewolde Gebremariam appointed Air India CEO and managing director 2026-08-05T23:12:18+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk Air India has appointed Tewolde Gebremariam as its chief executive officer and managing director following a global search by the airline's Board of Directors, succeeding Campbell Wilson, who led the carrier's initial turnaround and fleet integration. Gebremariam was the longest-serving chief executive of Ethiopian Airlines Group, holding the role for 11 years and bringing more than 37 years of aviation experience. Ethiopian Airlines' annual revenue grew from $1 billion to $5 billion during his tenure, with passenger traffic rising from 3 million to 12 million, cargo operations expanding from 160 tons to 760 tons, international destinations increasing from 64 to 128, and staff strength growing from 6,300 to 17,000. Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran welcomed Gebremariam's appointment as Air India enters what he called a critical execution and expansion era. Air India said continued investment in staff training and career development would remain central to the airline's transformation. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Gebremariam's record at Ethiopian Airlines gives Air India a leader with a genuine track record of growth, but the figures cited come from the company's own announcement rather than independent aviation analysis, and past results at one airline do not guarantee the same outcome at another operating in a different market and regulatory environment. The announcement does not address specific operational challenges Air India still faces, such as reliability or workforce integration, beyond general commitments to training. How Gebremariam's strategy differs in practice from Wilson's turnaround work is the detail to watch once he takes charge. ## Coverage - www.hindustantimes.com Tags: Air India, Tewolde Gebremariam Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/who-is-tewolde-gebremariam-former-ethiopian-airlines-chief-with-37-years-in-aviation-now-leading-air-india/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/who-is-tewolde-gebremariam-former-ethiopian-airlines-chief-with-37-years-in-aviation-now-leading-air-india/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.