Air India CEO-designate sets safety and profitability priorities

Air India CEO-designate Tewolde Gebremariam has told employees that safety, profitability and disciplined growth will be priorities as the airline seeks to improve its financial performance. His appointment remains subject to regulatory approvals, and he is expected to take over from Campbell Wilson in October, according to reports on the planned transition. At a companywide town hall on Monday, Gebremariam said safety would be the airline’s foremost priority and urged employees to report concerns that could affect operations. He described safety as a shared responsibility, while emphasizing that staff should raise issues without hesitation. The remarks set out his stated priorities; they do not establish that safety systems or performance have already improved. Gebremariam also said Air India must increase revenue and control costs to achieve sustainable profitability. He said revenue opportunities were being considered across the airline’s international network, commercial activities and cargo business.