GURUGRAM- Tata-owned Air India (AI) has announced the appointment of Capt Klaus Goersch to the newly established position of Executive Vice President (VP) and Chief Operations Officer (COO).
In this role, Capt Goersch will be responsible for overseeing Flight Operations, Engineering, Ground Operations, Integrated Operations Control (IOCC), and Cabin Crew functions.
Air India Hires New VP COO
Capt Goersch, a licensed Boeing 777/787 pilot with prior experience in similar roles at British Airways (BA) and Air Canada (AC), will operate from Air India’s new headquarters located in Gurugram.
The current Chief of Operations, Capt RS Sandhu, who had previously extended his service with Air India beyond his retirement date, will transition into an advisory role.
His advisory duties will primarily revolve around aligning the operating procedures of the four Tata airlines, facilitating the Airbus A350 entry-into-service program, and supporting the establishment of Air India’s new Training Academy.
CEO Insights
Welcoming Capt Klaus Goersch to the team, Campbell Wilson, the CEO and managing director of Air India, expressed, “We are delighted to have Klaus as part of the Air India family. With his extensive experience gained at some of the world’s leading airlines, he brings a wealth of knowledge that is invaluable for our ongoing transformation at Air India. We maintain our commitment to nurturing top leadership and investing in the necessary resources to propel the airline to the highest echelons of the global aviation industry.”
Air India has also made other significant appointments to bolster its management team. Capt Manish Uppal, who recently transitioned from Air Asia India, has been designated as the Senior Vice President for Flight Operations.
Additionally, Capt Henry Donohoe’s role in Corporate Safety, Security, and Quality will be broadened to encompass Emergency Response, resulting in his title being changed to Senior Vice President of Safety, Security, and Quality.
Further additions include Mr. Pankaj Handa, who will lead Ground Operations, Mr. Choorah Singh as Divisional Vice President for Integrated Operations Control, and Ms. JuLi Ng as Divisional Vice President for Cabin Crew.
All these individuals will report to Capt Goersch, along with Capt Uppal and Mr. Sisira Kanta Dash, who serves as the Senior Vice President for Engineering.
Other Changes
At the same time, the Inflight Product & Service Design functions, led by Mr. Sandeep Verma, will be incorporated into Mr. Rajesh Dogra’s Customer Experience portfolio. This move ensures that Mr. Dogra oversees all customer interfaces.
Capt Klaus Goersch, Mr. Rajesh Dogra, and Capt Henry Donohoe will all report directly to Mr. Campbell Wilson. This reporting structure remains consistent for the existing members of the Management Committee: Mr. Nipun Aggarwal, Dr. Satya Ramaswamy, Dr. Suresh Dutt Tripathi, and Mr. Vinod Hejmadi, with no changes to their roles.
Mr. Wilson explained, “These adjustments have been implemented with the aim of effectively managing succession, streamlining the organization, harnessing talent from within the Tata airline group, and positioning it for robust growth and enduring success.”
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