Ilker Ayci is new Air India CEO: All you need to know about the Turkish president's former advisor

Ilker Ayci.

Tata Sons on February 14 announced that the former chairman of Turkish Airlines Ilker Ayci has been appointed the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India.

Following the announcement of his appointment, Ayci, who had served as Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s advisor in the 1990s, said: “I am delighted and honoured to accept the privilege of leading an iconic airline and to join the Tata Group. Working closely with my colleagues at Air India and the leadership of the Tata Group, we will utilize the strong heritage of Air India to make it one of the best airlines in the world with a uniquely superior flying experience that reflects Indian warmth and hospitality.”

A 1994 batch Political Science and Public Administration graduate of Bilkent University, İlker Aycı also went to the University of Leeds in 1995, where he was a political science researcher. Thereafter, the Turkish businessman had completed his Master’s in International Relations from Istanbul's Marmara University in 1997.

After the 1994 local elections in Turkey, when Recep Tayyip Erdoğan became the Mayor of Istanbul, Aycı was appointed his advisor in 1994. During this time, Aycı had held several positions in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.

Ayci, who is now in his 50s, has been assigned several positions in the Kurtsan Ilaclar AS, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, and Universal Dis Ticaret AS. On November 19, 2018, when Ilker Ayci tied the knot with lawyer and sports commentator Tugçe Saatman, Turkish President Erdogan had attended the wedding and also acted as one of the witnesses.

Between 2005 and 2011, the new Air India head had also served as the CEO of multiple insurance companies, before being appointed as the President of the Prime Ministry Investment Support and Promotion Agency of Turkey in January 2011.

Two years later, in February 2013, he became the vice president of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies; a year later he was promoted to become the chairman from 2014 to 2015.

Simultaneously, he was also an executive board member of Turkish Airlines till April 2015, following which he became the chairman of the airline – a position he held until 2022.

On January 26, 2022, İlker Aycı resigned from his post as chairman of Turkish Airlines, and within a month, he was appointed by the TATA Group to become the new Air India CEO.