IATA appoints Saadia Zahidi as its first female director general

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has appointed Pakistani-Swiss economist Saadia Zahidi as its ninth director general, making her the first female to hold the position.

Her appointment will take effect on November 1, 2026, said IATA in a statement.

Saadia will succeed the current director general, Willie Walsh, whose tenure will conclude on July 31, 2026.

IATA chair Roberto Alvo said the association is grateful for Walsh’s outstanding leadership, which helped IATA emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic stronger and with a more representative membership than ever before.

He said the association looks forward to Saadia taking over at a time of significant change in the global environment.

“Saadia’s long and outstanding experience at the World Economic Forum (WEF) will enhance and strengthen IATA as the voice of the world’s airlines. Global air transport is a trillion-dollar industry that has and continues to change the world for the better.

Related News

“Technology and geopolitics, among others, will reshape the industry in the future and Saadia brings the right skills to effectively articulate what our industry needs to continue connecting people and economies safely, efficiently and sustainably,” he said.

Alvo, who is also the chief executive officer of LATAM Airlines Group, said Saadia would bring a fresh perspective to IATA and further strengthen its support for the airline industry by building on the association’s well-established technical, financial and data capabilities.

Saadia has spent more than two decades at WEF, serving as managing director and a member of the managing board after previously leading the WEF’s Global Communications Group, Global Programming Group, and its engagement with academics, civil society and international organisations.

She also founded and currently heads the WEF’s Centre for the New Economy and Society, and is a co-author of the WEF’s Future of Jobs Report, Future of Growth Report, Global Gender Gap Report and Chief Economists Outlook.

She has also served on the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment and the European Space Agency’s High-Level Advisory Group. – Bernama

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.