With the government recently granting security clearance to Air India's CEO & managing director Campbell Wilson, he can now go full steam to restore the glory of the once iconic airline. Wilson (50), the former head of Singapore Airlines' low-cost subsidiary Scoot was appointed to the role in May.
A master of commerce in business administration, Wilson joined Singapore Airlines in Auckland in 1996. In a career spanning more than 26 years, he has worked in diverse areas like distribution, e-commerce, merchandising, brand and marketing, and global sales. He has also worked in Canada, Hong Kong and Japan.
Welcoming Wilson's appointment, commentator and former executive director of Air India, Jitender Bhargava told Business Today that a lack of professional leadership had led to virtually no improvement at the national flag carrier ever since the Tatas regained control six months ago.
"Realising that group's other two airline brands Vistara and AirAsia India were being largely managed by their partners, the focus was on the appointment of a professional for initiation of action to steer Air India out of turbulent waters," said Bhargava.
People often overlook the fact that Tata group's association with aviation was several decades ago and no one in the current management team had the requisite experience in the industry. The primary challenge before Wilson would thus be to bring on board a strong team of professionals.
"One sincerely hopes he can institute a team of experienced professionals soon as the task before him is herculean. One shouldn't overlook the fact that Air India in the past two decades suffered enormously even as the market became intensely competitive," added Bhargava.
So, what key actions can be expected from Wilson since Air India's unique problems are just too well known? In his 2013 book, The Descent of Air India, Bhargava identified several areas that require redressal on priority.
31/07/22 Manish Pant/BusinessToday.in
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