Air India’s next CEO? Nipun Aggarwal’s growing mandate signals more

Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer at Air India, is increasingly emerging as a key figure in the airline’s leadership landscape, as the Tata Group pushes ahead with an ambitious multi-year transformation of its aviation business.

Aggarwal’s recent appointment as Chairman of Air India Express, replacing Air India CEO Campbell Wilson in that role has sharpened focus on his rising influence within the group. 

Air India’s leadership transition is already underway. CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson has indicated his intent to step down in mid 2026, having communicated his plans to Tata Group Chairman N. Chandrasekaran as early as 2024. The airline has since been preparing for a smooth succession as it moves into its next phase of growth.

Aggarwal has been central to that effort since joining Air India in January 2022, shortly after Tata Sons won the bid to acquire the national carrier. As Chief Commercial Officer, he oversees a wide portfolio that spans aircraft acquisition and financing, network planning, revenue management, sales and marketing, loyalty programmes, and strategic alliances. He is also deeply involved in merger integration and broader transformation initiatives across the Air India group.

MUST READ: Summer travel boost: How are IndiGo, AI Express ramping up international operations?  

His role has been particularly critical as Tata Group merged four airlines Air India, Vistara, Air India Express and AirAsia India (now AIX Connect) into a streamlined two-airline structure. With much of the structural consolidation at completion, the focus has now shifted to optimising fleet, routes, and customer experience, areas under Aggarwal’s direct purview.

Before moving to Air India, Aggarwal spent nearly five years at Tata Sons as Senior Vice President, working closely with the Group Chairman and Group CFO’s office. During this period, he led several high-profile acquisitions and restructuring exercises across Tata companies, building a reputation as a dealmaker with strong execution capabilities.

His earlier career spans investment and corporate banking roles at Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Standard Chartered Bank, as well as a stint as Commercial Advisor at BP. He began his professional journey as a graduate engineer trainee at Larsen & Toubro.

MUST READ: Varanasi to London via Delhi from June 1: India's 'hub and spoke aviation model' gets SOP, Air India to begin trials

Aggarwal holds a postgraduate diploma in management from IIM Calcutta and a degree in electrical engineering from Delhi College of Engineering.

With over 28 years of experience across finance, strategy, and operations, Aggarwal brings a mix of financial acumen and operational oversight, a combination seen as critical for Air India’s next phase. The airline is currently navigating aircraft delivery delays, rising maintenance costs from an ageing fleet, and the complexities of scaling up international operations despite the oil crisis. 

MUST READ: BT Explainer: Why are Indian overseas travellers preferring European carriers this summer?