Post by Solomon A. Dessta

If the appointment of Ato Tewolde Gebremariam as CEO of the newly privatized Pakistan International Airlines(PIA) is confirmed, it could mark the beginning of a new era for PIA, its employees, loyal customers, shareholders, and the people of Pakistan. I believe #AtoTewolde has the vision, discipline, commercial expertise, and transformational leadership needed to restore PIA as a profitable, world-class airline and position Karachi as a global aviation hub. His achievements at Ethiopian Airlines demonstrate what is possible. After serving as Regional Director for the Americas based in New York, #AtoTewolde was appointed Executive Officer for Marketing and Sales in 2002. At the time, Ethiopian Airlines was a relatively small facing stagnant growth. Under the new leadership, the airline introduced its first long-term corporate strategy in 2004, defining a clear commercial, network, and growth strategy with a target of US$1 billion in annual revenue by 2010. He later became Chief Operating Officer, overseeing nearly all commercial and operational functions, he played a significant role and helped the airline to achieve its revenue target ahead of schedule. In 2011, #AtoTewolde became CEO and transformed Ethiopian Airlines into a diversified aviation group with specialized business units, including Cargo, MRO, Aviation Academy, Catering, Express Services, and other subsidiaries. Each became an independent profit center serving both Ethiopian Airlines and third-party customers, creating a self-sustaining aviation ecosystem. Under his leadership, Ethiopian Airlines grew more than fourfold to become Africa’s largest airline and aviation group. Ethiopian Cargo became one of the world’s leading cargo operators and played a decisive role during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing nearly half of the group’s revenue and helping the airline remain profitable while many global airlines struggled. His leadership was also tested during difficult periods such as the Beirut Flight ET409 tragedy, the Boeing 737 MAX crisis, the Ebola outbreak, record fuel prices, political instability across Africa, and the COVID-19 pandemic. In every case, he demonstrated calm, transparent, and decisive leadership that strengthened customer confidence and enhanced Ethiopian Airlines’ global reputation. He also helped establish African airlines, including #Asky, #MalawianAirline, #ZambiaAirlines & #AirCongo, contributing to the growth of aviation across the continent. #PIA is one of Asia’s most historic airlines. With the right strategy, disciplined execution, and stakeholder support, I believe it has the potential to regain its position among the world’s respected airlines. If confirmed, I sincerely wish #AtoTewolde Gebremariam every success in leading PIA’s transformation. His career has shown that visionary leadership, operational excellence, and long-term strategic thinking can transform even the most challenging airlines into global success stories.