Nipun Aggarwal, previously Air India’s Chief Commercial Officer, has been appointed the new chairman of Air India Express. He replaces Campbell Wilson as the airline continues its restructuring efforts.
Nipun Aggarwal, previously serving as the Chief Commercial Officer at Tata Group-owned Air India, has been appointed as the new Chairman of Air India Express. Aggarwal succeeds Campbell Wilson, who held the position until now. This leadership change comes as the airline continues its efforts to restructure and expand under the ownership of Tata Group.
About Nipun Aggarwal
Nipun Aggarwal brings a wealth of experience to his new role, having served as Air India’s Chief Commercial Officer since April 2022. Prior to his role at Air India, Aggarwal was Senior Vice President at Tata Sons, where he focused on commercial aviation, real estate, mergers and acquisitions, debt financing, and bank laws. He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Management, specializing in Finance, from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta and a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the Delhi College of Engineering.
Aggarwal’s career spans across multiple prominent organizations, including Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Standard Chartered Bank, BP PLC, and L&T, where he gained extensive experience in the aviation and financial sectors.
Air India Express Restructuring and Aggarwal’s New Role
Aggarwal’s appointment comes at a crucial time as Air India Express, a subsidiary of Air India, continues its restructuring under Tata Group’s leadership. The restructuring process was initiated when Tata Group took control of Air India two years ago and merged four airlines into two, Air India and Air India Express, which subsequently merged with AirAsia.
The Tata Group aims to optimize its fleet, network, sales, distribution, and loyalty assets, as the restructuring process is nearing completion. The focus now is on modernizing the fleet and expanding its services, even as the airline faces challenges related to jet deliveries and rising maintenance costs. These efforts include securing multi-billion-dollar deals for widebody jets, though the delivery of these jets has been delayed, creating additional challenges for the airline.
As Air India Express moves forward with its growth strategy, Aggarwal will play a key role in leveraging the airline’s assets to ensure long-term success. Basil Kwauk, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Air India, will also be joining the board of Air India, alongside Aggarwal, further strengthening the airline’s leadership team.
Restructuring Amidst Global Challenges
Air India’s restructuring also comes at a time of heightened international competition and challenges. There have been reports that China has urged airlines to refrain from taking deliveries of Boeing aircraft amid ongoing trade tensions. In light of this, Air India is reportedly looking into acquiring jets rejected by China, although no official confirmation has been made on the matter.
With Nipun Aggarwal at the helm of Air India Express, the airline is poised to continue its transformation and play a significant role in India’s aviation sector, even as it navigates these complex global challenges.
