Air New Zealand taps insider Nikhil Ravishankar to replace CEO Greg Foran

The airline’s board has turned to its tech boss to succeed CEO Greg Foran amid ‘immense challenges’ including climate change, technology and cost pressures.

Air New Zealand has promoted within its new CEO.

Air New Zealand has promoted its chief digital officer Nikhil Ravishankar as its new chief executive as the board seeks “a new generation of leadership”.

Mr Ravishankar will officially take over the top job from Greg Foran from October 20, four years after joining Air New Zealand from technology company Vector.

The airline was Mr Ravishankar’s first job in aviation, after an early career spent in telecommunications, tech and on boards including the Auteur influencer network.

Air New Zealand chair Dame Therese Walsh said Mr Ravishankar’s promotion marked the beginning of the next chapter for the airline, and reflected “a new generation of leadership for the future”.

“Nikhil brings the mindset and contemporary leadership we need to build on our strong foundations and focus on the future,” said Dame Therese.

“The board undertook an extensive international search and were delighted to see Nikhil come through the process so strongly. His ambition for the airline’s future and his people leadership skills, coupled with his pursuit of excellence, digital literacy, global outlook and relationships, and his deep care for the airline and New Zealand shone through.”

She said airlines would continue to face “immense challenges” whether that was “climate change, customer expectations, technology, cost pressures of geopolitics”.

“Nikhil brings a fresh perspective that is grounded in New Zealand values and a deep knowledge of the airline and critical infrastructure across different sectors,” said Dame Therese.

“He’s not afraid to challenge how things are done and ask questions.”

Mr Ravishankar said he was “both thrilled and humbled” to be given the opportunity to lead Air New Zealand, which he described as an “institution with a deep legacy and a fantastic future”.

Air New Zealand's chief digital officer Nikhil Ravishankar has been tapped as its next CEO. Picture: Supplied

“It’s a privilege to step into the CEO role and take on that responsibility for our people, our customers, and our country,” said Mr Ravishankar.

“Our airline is among the very best, and I’m excited to help shape what this next stage of Air New Zealand looks like.”

Mr Foran will leave in October after a handover to Ravishankar, but as yet the former US Walmart CEO has not revealed his next move.

When he joined Air New Zealand in February 2020, Mr Foran faced crisis after crisis, with Covid-related border closures all but shutting down the airline completely within five weeks of his appointment.

Since the pandemic, the airline has continued to face challenges, the biggest of which concerned shortages in engine components, resulting in the grounding of up to 11 aircraft.

Full year guidance issued in April, indicated Air New Zealand expected to take a substantial hit from the groundings with earnings before tax in the range of NZ$150m and NZ$190m (AU$137m to AU$173m).

The 63-year-old said it was entirely his decision to leave, adding the “board was very keen for him to stay” but he felt he “had another itch to scratch”.

“I’m not too sure what that would be, but I’m excited, and, you know, I’ve worked and lived in five different countries now, and enjoy it, enjoy going to work, enjoy difficult challenges and this has been one of those,” he told The Australian in May.

His legacy to the airline will be a new cabin layout for the fleet of Boeing 787s, intended to help Air New Zealand remain competitive on trans-Pacific routes.

Next year, the carrier will take delivery of two new 787s fitted with the innovative Skynest feature — offering economy passengers the chance of a lie-down on ultra-long-haul flights.

The six-bed stack which will replace two middle rows of economy seats, follows the success of the airline’s “Skycouch”.

Mr Ravishankar is the second new airline CEO in the region this year, following Virgin Australia’s promotion of Dave Emerson this year after the departure of Jayne Hrdlicka.

Originally published as Air New Zealand taps insider Nikhil Ravishankar to replace CEO Greg Foran