BIG! Air India May Be Set for a Leadership Change by 2027

Air India, now a part of the Tata Sons aviation portfolio, is reportedly moving ahead with a leadership reset that could see CEO & Managing Director Campbell Wilson’s contract not being renewed. Campbell Wilson has been at the helm of Air India since 2022 and was offered a 5-year contract.

Tata Group is looking for a new leader for Air India

The Economic Times today reported that Tata Sons Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran has grown dissatisfied with the pace of execution and on-ground progress at the airline, prompting a review of the top leadership.

According to those sources, Tata has held preliminary discussions with senior executives from major global airlines — including carriers from the UK and US — to potentially take over the reins at Air India, even as Wilson’s current contract formally extends to 2027. The conversations are framed as part of early succession planning, though the timing of any official change remains fluid.

Wilson, a New Zealand national who joined Air India in July 2022 after a long career with Singapore Airlines, has been spearheading a five-year turnaround strategy to restore the airline’s global competitiveness and financial performance. That plan included integrating the Vistara merger, expanding fleet capacity and improving network growth. Progress has been uneven, however, with global supply-chain delays, aircraft delivery setbacks, service quality concerns and regulatory scrutiny — including fallout from last year’s fatal Ahmedabad crash — adding pressure on operational outcomes.

When he arrived, Wilson had big shoes to fill at Air India. He’s done a good job of steadying the ship and setting up the growth agenda. However, he has spent too much time behind the curtains and has hardly seen in public. Arguably, he hasn’t provided the proper response to the frequent crises at the airline, but that could also be a cultural thing for him, given his aviation experience. 

Neither Air India nor Tata Sons has officially commented on a leadership exit. Singapore Airlines — a part-owner through previous arrangements — has also not responded to inquiries.

It is also being reported that Air India Express may also see a leadership change around the same time.

Bottomline

Air India could see a leadership change within the next 18 months or so, with the airline’s owners, the Tata Group, arguably engaging with other aviation leaders around the globe to identify the next leader when the current leader, Campbell Wilson, whose tenure runs out. There seems to be some dissatisfaction with execution under Wilson, which, to be honest, is not entirely his fault.

What do you make of the change at Air India, if it ever comes?

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