Air India appoints Turkish veteran Ilker Ayci as CEO and MD

New Delhi, Feb 14: Air India on Monday announced that Ilker Ayci has been appointed as the CEO and MD of Air India. After much deliberation, the decision was taken this afternoon by the board.

"Ilker is an aviation industry leader who led Turkish Airlines to its current success during his tenure there. We are delighted to welcome Ilker to the Tata Group where he would lead Air India into the new era," N Chandrasekaran, who was reappointed as Executive Chairman for five years on February 12 of Tata Sons, said.

N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, was a special invitee to this board meeting. The board after due deliberations approved the appointment of Ilker Ayci as the CEO & MD of Air India, a statement from the company said.

This appointment is subject to requisite regulatory approvals.

Ilker Ayci, who was was the Chairman of the Turkish Airlines and he was on the board of the company prior to that, said, "I am delighted and honored to accept the privilege of leading an iconic airline and to join the Tata Group. Working closely with my colleagues at Air India and the leadership of the Tata Group, we will utilize the strong heritage of Air India to make it one of the best airlines in the world with a uniquely superior flying experience that reflects Indian warmth and hospitality."

Ayci will assume his responsibilities on or before 1st April 2022, the statement from the company said.

Ilker Ayci was born in Istanbul in 1971. He is 1994 alumni of Bilkent University's Department of Political Science and Public Administration. After a research stay on political science at the Leeds University in the UK in 1995, he completed an International Relations Master's program at the Marmara University in Istanbul in 1997.