NEW DELHI: IndiGo airlines on Tuesday announced the appointment of former British Airways chief William Walsh as new CEO. This comes after Pieter Elbers resigned earlier this month after major operational crisis faced by the aviation operator in December last year.“The Board of IndiGo announces the appointment of William Walsh as Chief Executive Officers National 31′ March, 2026: The Board of InterGlobe Aviation Limited (IndiGo) today appointed Mr. William Walsh as the Chief Executive Officer, subject to Regulatory approvals. Mr. Walsh’s tenure at IATA comes to a close on the 31″ of July, 2026, and he is expected to join no later than on the 3′ of August, 2026,” said IndiGo in an official statement.“I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead IndiGo. 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 well-positioned to be at the forefront of this change. I look forward to partnering with colleagues across the organisation to build a culture of excellence, innovation, collaboration and sustainable value for all stakeholders,” said Walsh, reacting to the appointment.Adding to the announcement, Rahul Sheila, Managing Director of IndiGo said, “As we enter a new phase of transformation and growth, I am delighted to welcome Willie to IndiGo. He is an iconic and accomplished aviation leader and brings a rare combination of global perspective, operational expertise of having built strong customer-focused airlines, deep industry experience and a values driven leadership, making him exceptionally suited to lead IndiGo at this pivotal cusp of growth.“Walsh is succeeding Elbers who resigned from the airline on March 10 with immediate effect, three month after the airline’s unprecedented domestic schedule collapse that had left lakhs of passengers stranded at airports across its network. Airline founder & MD Rahul Bhatia became the interim CEO.
Who is William Walsh?
Willie Walsh, popularly known as Willie, is a veteran aviation executive with over four decades of experience in the airline industry. He began his career as a cadet pilot with Aer Lingus in 1979 and went on to hold senior operational and leadership roles, including chief operating officer, before becoming chief executive of the airline from 2001 to 2005. He later served as chief executive of British Airways from 2005 to 2011, where he led the carrier through the global financial crisis. Walsh subsequently became the founding Chief Executive of International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of airlines including Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, Level and Vueling, serving in the role from 2011 until 2020. Since April 2021, Walsh has been the Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), becoming the eighth person to hold the position. In this role, he has represented global airline industry interests on issues ranging from regulation and sustainability to post-pandemic recovery.