Air India appointed Pradeep Singh Kharola as the Executive Advisor to the Chairman, signalling the start of a planned leadership transition as Chief Executive Campbell Wilson approaches the end of his tenure.
Pradeep Kharola joins Air India after a long and distinguished career in public service. Notably, he is no stranger to Air India, as he has served as the group’s Chairman and Managing Director between 2017 and 2019 prior to assuming the role of Secretary of Civil Aviation, where he was deeply involved in Air India’s privatisation process.
In a message to employees, Wilson announced that Kharola would join the airline with immediate effect as “Executive Advisor to the Chairman” and will “become a full member of Air India’s management committee”.
“With my tenure in its final months, his experience will be invaluable in ensuring a smooth leadership transition to a new CEO,” said Wilson in his message.
It is important to note that Kharola’s appointment comes at a crucial time for Air India as the Tata Group-owned airline is in the middle of a major fleet refurbishment programme. Wilson, who resigned in March, is currently serving his notice period and is expected to leave in September.
Wilson Resigned In March
Campbell Wilson was appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of Air India in 2022. With over 30 years of rich experience in the aviation industry, he has worked across both full-service and low-cost carriers.
Prior to joining Air India, Wilson served as CEO of Scoot, the wholly-owned low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines (SIA).
