The Tata Sons on Monday appointed former Turkish Airlines chairman Mehmet Iliker Ayci to head Air India, which the company acquired last month. Ayci has been appointed as Air India's chief executive officer and managing director subject to requisite regulatory approvals of the Government of India, asking him to assume the responsibilities on April 1.
Ayci was approved by the Air India Board in its meeting which was attended by Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran as a special invitee. Chandrasekaran described Ayci as an aviation industry leader who led Turkish Airlines to its current success during his tenure there. He said: “We are delighted to welcome Iliker to the Tata Group where he would lead Air India.”
A 1994 alumni of Bilkent University, Ayci after a research stay on political science at the Leeds University in the UK in 1995, completed a Master's Programme in International Relations from Istanbul's Marmara University in 1997, the Tata Sons said in a statement.
Ayci said: “I am delighted and honored to accept the privilege of leading an iconic airline and to join the Tata Group. Working closely with my colleagues at Air India and the leadership of the Tata Group, we will utilise the strong heritage of Air India to make it one of the best airlines in the world with a uniquely superior flying experience that reflects Indian warmth and hospitality.”
After a competitive bidding process, the government on October 8 last year sold Air India to Talace Private Limited, a subsidiary of the Tata Group's holding company, for Rs 18,000 crore. The Tatas beat the Rs 15,100-crore offer by a consortium led by SpiceJet promoter Ajay Singh and the reserve price of Rs 12,906 crore set by the government for the sale of its 100% stake in the loss-making carrier.
