Focus on safety, build stronger culture of cost consciousness: Chandrasekaran tells Air India employees

Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran on Monday addressed the airline's staff and emphasised the need to focus on safety and build a stronger culture of cost consciousness.

Air India's incoming CEO Tewolde Gebremariam and outgoing chief Campbell Wilson were also present at the meeting.

Chandrasekaran, who is the Air India Chairman, said the airline's next phase must focus on safety, customer trust, operational execution and cost discipline.

"The most important thing Air India should aspire to have is trust in the minds of people," he said, and added that its safety record should be better than the best.

He urged the staff to help build a stronger culture of cost consciousness.

Chandrasekaran also acknowledged that the past 18 months had been particularly challenging for the airline, with geopolitical disruptions, airspace closures, fuel volatility and the tragic AI171 accident impacting operations and performance.

At the meeting, Chandrasekaran formally introduced Gebremariam to the staff.

On August 5, Air India announced the appointment of Gebremariam as the CEO and MD after a comprehensive search, overseen by a dedicated board committee.

He comes with nearly four decades of experience at Ethiopian Airlines Group, including as its CEO for over 11 years.

Tata Group took over Air India from the government in January 2022, and later Singapore Airlines acquired a 25.1 per cent stake in the airline.

"Led by Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran, employees came together at a town hall to welcome Air India's new CEO, Tewolde Gebremariam, alongside outgoing CEO Campbell Wilson, marking the next chapter in Air India's transformation journey," the airline said in a post on X.

Last month, Chandrasekaran announced that he would not seek reappointment beyond his current tenure, which ends on February 20, 2027. In his statement, he cited the inordinate delay by the Tata Sons board in approving the resolution on his third term, despite the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust unanimously recommending his extension for another five years.

Before joining the Tata Sons board in October 2016 and taking over as its chairman in January 2017, Chandrasekaran—known as Chandra in the industry—spent nearly three decades at the group’s cash cow, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), including eight years as its CEO and MD.

Backed by the late Ratan Tata, Chandrasekaran’s appointment as chairman of Tata Sons also saw him take over as chairman of the TCS board. At the time, TCS was a $17.58 billion company growing at a mid- to high-single-digit pace.