AirAsia India on Wednesday took another step to launch its much-talked about operations with the appointment of Mittu Chandilya as the chief executive officer, a decision which will now allow the company to seek an air operator's permit.
The 33-year-old Chennai-born, Singapore-based Chandilya, who is a management consultant, will assume office on June 1, AirAsia India said in a statement issued from Chennai.
Chandilya's last appointment was as the head of the Asia-Pacific division of global search firm Egon Zehnder International, which is focused on advisory leadership in aviation, travel and hospitality, among others.
Commenting on the appointment, Tata Group chairman emeritus Ratan Tata, “I am extremely pleased that the board of AirAsia India has appointed Chandilya as the CEO. I am confident that he will provide the leadership and bring to bear his entrepreneurial skills in successfully growing this new airline in the Indian aviation space.”
Air Asia Group chief executive Tony Fernandes, who broke the news in a Tweet earlier in the day, said, “Chandilya is an outstanding young man with great entrepreneurial skills. He is very passionate about the lCC business and possesses the crucial understanding on how our business model works.”