Air New Zealand has announced that Nikhil Ravishankar will be the company’s next Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Nikhil is currently the airline’s Chief Digital Officer and he will take over the CEO role from Greg Foran on October 20. Greg Foran had earlier announced in March that he would be stepping down from the position.
Ravishankar has been with the airline for nearly five years during which he has overseen major advancements in digital infrastructure customer experience and loyalty systems.
Who is Nikhil Ravishankar?
Nikhil joined Air New Zealand in September 2021 as the Chief Digital Officer where he has been leading the airline’s digital and technology efforts.
Before this he worked as the Chief Digital Officer at Vector New Zealand a major utilities and energy company. He joined Vector in 2017 and played a key role in managing their digital and IT strategies. He has also worked with Hector Telecom New Zealand in the past.
Nikhil holds a Science degree as well as a Commerce degree with Honours in Computer Science from the University of Auckland.
Apart from his corporate role Nikhil is also involved in several community and advisory groups:


He is an advisor and mentor in the Strategic CIO Programme at the University of Auckland.
He is part of the AUT Influencer Network.
He sits on the board of New Zealand Asian Leaders.
He is also on the advisory committee of the Auckland Blues Foundation.

Why Nikhil Ravishankar’s appointment as CEO is important for Air New Zealand
Nikhil Ravishankar has been appointed CEO of Air New Zealand at a very crucial time. The airline is still recovering from the heavy losses it suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic which deeply affected the global aviation industry.
Nikhil has already played a key role in digitally transforming the airline during his time as Chief Digital Officer. With his strong understanding of technology and innovation his appointment as CEO could act like a booster for the company’s growth and stability.
Before this he was a Managing Director at Accenture in Hong Kong Australia and New Zealand and held technology strategy and transformation leadership roles at Telecom New Zealand (Spark).

About Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand is the flag carrier of New Zealand and operates from major hubs like Auckland Christchurch and Wellington. The airline connects to around 50 destinations. It plays a major role in providing direct flights from the U.S. to New Zealand including cities like Los Angeles San Francisco Houston Honolulu and New York.
The airline is also a member of the Star Alliance one of the world’s largest global airline networks which helps expand its reach and improve connectivity for passengers.
With Nikhil leading the airline Air New Zealand is hoping to move forward strongly in the post-pandemic world.