Nikhil Ravishankar
Air New Zealand has named chief digital officer Nikhil Ravishankar its next CEO, succeeding Greg Foran after almost six years leading the airline.
Air New Zealand in March announced Foran on Oct. 20 would step down from his role and depart the carrier. Ravishankar will officially take over as CEO on that date after joining the airline in 2021 as its chief digital officer and having led "major advances" in its loyalty and booking systems.
Prior to joining the carrier, Ravishankar served as the chief digital officer at energy company Vector and has also held senior management roles at Accenture and telecommunications firm Spark New Zealand.
Air New Zealand board chair, Dame Therese Walsh, said the appointment paves the way for a new generation of leadership at the airline.
"Nikhil brings the mindset and contemporary leadership we need to build on our strong foundations and focus on the future,” she said. “The board undertook an extensive international search and were delighted to see Nikhil come through the process so strongly."