Tata Sons Appoints Campbell Wilson As CEO, Managing Director Of Air India: 10 Points

Campbell Wilson has 26 years of aviation industry expertise.New Delhi:
Tata Sons on Thursday appointed Campbell Wilson as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director of Air India. Mr Wilson is the CEO of Scoot, the wholly-owned low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines. The 50-year-old has 26 years of aviation industry expertise across both full service and low-cost airlines, Air India said. Here’s Your 10-Point Cheat-Sheet To This Big Story:Earlier in March this year, Tata Group chief N Chandrasekaran was appointed as the Chairman of Air India.On Mr Wilson’s appointment as the new CEO and MD, Mr Chandrasekaran said, “He is an industry veteran having worked in key global markets cutting across multiple functions. Further, Air India would benefit from his added experience of having built an airline brand in Asia. I look forward to working with him in building a world-class airline.””Mr 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. Mr Wilson then served as the senior Vice-President Sales & 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,” the airline stated.”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,” Mr Wilson said.Air India is the third airline brand in the Tata Group’s stable. Tata Group holds a majority interest in AirAsia India and Vistara, a joint venture with Singapore Airlines.The group had previously announced Turkey’s Ilker Ayci as the CEO of Air India, but that appointment was met with a lot of opposition. As a result, Mr Ayci declined the offer.In October last year, the government had sold Air India to Talace Private Limited — a subsidiary of the Tata group’s holding company — for Rs 18,000 crore.At present, Air India controls over 4,400 domestic and 1,800 international landing and parking slots at domestic airports as well as 900 slots abroad.Of the airline’s 141 aircraft that Tatas would get, 42 are leased planes while the remaining 99 are owned.Tatas had set up Tata Airlines in 1932, which was later — in 1946 — renamed Air India. The government had taken control of the airline in 1953, but JRD Tata continued to be its chairman till 1977. The official handover marked the homecoming of Air India to Tatas after 69 years.



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