Saadia Zahidi named IATA’s first woman director general; Willie Walsh to join IndiGo
Saadia Zahidi will become IATA’s ninth director general on November 1, succeeding Willie Walsh. Walsh is due to leave the airline trade body on July 31 and become CEO of Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo, creating a leadership transition at both organisations.
IATA appointed Saadia Zahidi as its first woman director general, effective November 1. She succeeds Willie Walsh, who will leave on July 31 and is set to become chief executive of Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo.
Why this matters
The CEO transition follows IndiGo’s ₹238 crore Q1 loss amid 86% higher fuel costs, despite 20% revenue growth and continued FX pressure.
Leadership is steady, with 854 signals in the past 90 days; no QoQ percentage was provided.