New Delhi, March 31 The country's largest airline, IndiGo, announced on Tuesday the appointment of William Walsh, a pilot and current head of the global airline grouping IATA, as its next CEO.
The appointment comes less than three weeks after the sudden departure of Pieter Elbers, against the backdrop of significant operational disruptions at the airline in December last year.
Walsh, a veteran of the airline industry, popularly known as Willie, was formerly the CEO of British Airways and IAG (International Airlines Group, a holding company that owns Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, Level, and Vueling).
In a release, IndiGo announced the appointment of Walsh as CEO, subject to regulatory approvals, and stated that his tenure at IATA will end on July 31, and he is expected to join by no later than August 3.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is the global grouping of airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, and SpiceJet.
The appointment of Walsh was approved by the board of InterGlobe Aviation on Tuesday.
As CEO of IndiGo, Walsh will be responsible for the overall management and strategic direction of the airline, with a focus on transformational initiatives to strengthen operational performance, advance the company's network and commercial strategy, while enhancing customer experience.
"He will work closely with the board and the leadership team to rightfully position IndiGo as it scales up to the next phase of its growth," the airline said.
Walsh will also be among the few CEOs who are also pilots. Only a handful of people who were pilots have led an Indian airline. He will be the third foreign CEO for IndiGo, which started operations in August 2006.
As the head of IATA, Walsh is known to express his views in a frank and direct manner.
IndiGo Managing Director Rahul Bhatia described Walsh as an "iconic and accomplished aviation leader".
Bhatia said Walsh brings a rare combination of global perspective, operational expertise of having built strong customer-focused airlines, deep industry experience, and values-driven leadership, making him exceptionally suited to lead IndiGo at this pivotal stage of growth.
Walsh has served as a pilot, COO, and then CEO of Aer Lingus (2000-2005), CEO of British Airways (2005-2011), and CEO of IAG (2011-2020). Later, he took over as the Director General of IATA.
A senior industry executive, who knows Walsh, told
About his appointment, Walsh said he was delighted to have the opportunity to lead IndiGo, and that the airline has a strong foundation, a compelling vision, and an exceptional reputation.
"What stands out most to me are its people, their passion, professionalism, and commitment. The aviation landscape is evolving rapidly, and IndiGo is extremely well-positioned to be at the forefront of this change," he said.
Meanwhile, on March 10, Pieter Elbers resigned as CEO of IndiGo, citing personal reasons, and the country's largest airline relieved him with immediate effect, a development that came three months after massive operational disruptions triggered widespread public outrage and regulatory actions.
On March 23, IndiGo announced the appointment of former Air India Express Managing Director Aloke Singh as its Chief Strategy Officer.
"Walsh is widely considered as one of the most successful, respected, influential, and long-lasting leaders in modern aviation history. He is admired for his pragmatic and resolute management, effective complex restructuring, and successful mergers and acquisitions," IndiGo said.