Air India announces major changes in senior management ahead of merger with Vistara

Vinod Kannan, CEO of Vistara and Chief Integration Officer overseeing the merger of the full-service airlines, will continue in his role as Chief Integration Officer post-merger, according to a press release.

Deepak Rajawat, currently Vistara's Chief Commercial Officer, will step into the Chief Financial Officer position at the newly-expanded Air India Express, reporting to CEO Aloke Singh.

He will also assist Group CFO Sanjay Sharma with strategic initiatives and projects.

As a result, Vikas Agarwal, the current CFO of Air India Express, will transition to a new position in Air India, the statement said.

The full-service carriers Air India and Vistara, a joint venture between Tata and Singapore Airlines, are set to merge on November 11.

Other changes include Hamish Maxwell, Senior Vice President of Flight Operations at Vistara, who has taken on an advisory role to Air India Express CEO Aloke Singh.

Pushpinder Singh, Chief Operations Officer of Air India Express, will resume flying duties, with his successor to be announced soon.

Deepa Chadha, SVP HR & Corporate Affairs, and Vinod Bhatt, Chief Information Officer of Vistara, will both assume senior positions within other Tata group companies.

"Vistara CFO Mr. Niyant Maru, who had graciously continued beyond his superannuation date to see through completion of the merger, will retire at the end of his current term," the release added.

“Over the past two years, the four Tata airlines have worked hard to prepare for and execute one of the most complex mergers in aviation history, consolidating from four airlines to two in the context of dramatic growth and wholesale transformation. As we now approach the end of that process, we are delighted to formalise a Group leadership comprising colleagues from all four antecedent airlines to drive the next phase of our journey," stated Air India’s CEO & MD Campbell Wilson.