Noida International Airport Appoints Nitu Samra As Interim CEO

The management of Noida International Airport (NIA) has appointed Nitu Samra as its interim chief executive officer, following a government directive requiring the post to be held by an Indian national.

The change, announced on Friday, comes three days after the Union home ministry rejected a request to relax security rules for a foreign national to lead a greenfield airport. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) had denied approval for Swiss national Christoph Schnellmann to continue in the role.

"This change follows directions issued by BCAS that the chief executive officer of an airport in India is required to be an Indian national," the airport said in a statement.

Schnellmann, who had served as CEO since August 2020, will move to the board of directors as executive vice chairman. "In this role, he will continue to support the project and its transition to operations," the airport added.

The decision directly affects Yamuna International Airport Pvt Ltd (YIAPL), a subsidiary of Swiss firm Zurich Airport International AG, which is developing and operating the delayed greenfield project. Written notification was sent to the airport on Tuesday night.

Samra, who has been chief financial officer of NIAL since October 2021, takes over with immediate effect. She will remain in the interim role until the board completes a formal selection process. The airport said she has been closely involved in the project's development, overseeing financial stewardship, governance and strategic planning.

YIAPL chairman Daniel Bircher said: "After the inauguration...by the hon'ble Prime Minister in March 2026, the goal was to enable the start of operations as early as possible. This management change brings the airport into compliance with BCAS requirements while maintaining continuity."

The rule in question, a BCAS aviation security order dated January 17, 2011, stipulates that the CEO of every greenfield Indian airport must serve as the security coordinator, responsible for implementing security measures. Although the matter was raised in 2022 and discussions to amend the rule followed in 2023, no conclusion was reached.

The newly structured team, according to Bircher, will support a smooth transition into operations under clear governance.