MHA gives security clearance to Air India CEO-designate Campbell Wilson

New Delhi [India], July 26 (ANI): The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has given security clearance to Air India CEO-designate Campbell Wilson, paving the way for him to take charge of the airline, a government official said.
The MHA nod came after a thorough background check.
The move comes almost two months after Tata Sons, which took over the loss-making airline from the government on January 27 this year, announced Wilson’s appointment. The announcement of Wilson appointment as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India was made by Tata Sons on May 12.
However, for Wilson to takeover, a nod from the MHA was needed.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs has given security clearance to Air India CEO-designate Campbell Wilson,” a senior government official told ANI.
Under civil aviation rules, MHA clearance is mandatory for the appointment of key personnel at airlines, especially foreigners.
An aviation industry veteran with over 26 years of experience, Wilson began as a management trainee with Singapore Airlines.
Wilson has also worked as the CEO of Singapore Airlines’ wholly-owned subsidiary Scoot Air. He was the founding CEO of Scoot, which he led until 2016. Significantly, Singapore Airlines is a partner of the Tata Group in the joint venture Vistara.
Wilson also served as the senior vice president of sales and marketing of Singapore Airlines, where he oversaw pricing, distribution, e-commerce, merchandising, brand and marketing, global sales and the airline’s overseas offices, before returning for a second stint as the CEO of Scoot in April 2020.
Weeks after taking over the carrier, Tata Sons, on February 14, named Turkish Airlines’ former Chairman Lyker Ayci as Air India’s MD and CEO. However, Ayci, who was to take over on April 1, declined to join the group amid concerns expressed over his appointment in certain quarters. (ANI)