Indian full-service airline Vistara announced on September 14, 2021, that its chief commercial officer Vinod Kannan would be the airline’s next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective from January 1, 2022.
Vistara’s former CEO, Leslie Thng, will reportedly return to Singapore Airlines (SIA1) (SINGY) in 2022, as a senior executive.
Before joining Vistara, Kannan was a part of Singaporean low-cost airline Scoot for two years and served Singapore Airlines (SIA1) (SINGY) for almost 15 years.
“Leslie has led the airline through a significant phase, with the start of international operations and the entry into service of various aircraft including the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner,” said Bhaskar Bhat, Vistara’s chairman in a statement. “Vinod (Kannan) will lead Vistara in its next phase of growth, building on the strong foundation laid by Leslie.”
Vistara is a joint venture between Tata Sons Limited and Singapore Airlines Limited (SIA), with Tata Sons holding the majority stake of 51% in the airline and SIA holding the remaining 49%.
Vistara operates a fleet of 45 aircraft, including 36 Airbus A320s, three Airbus A321s, four Boeing 737s, and two Boeing 787 Dreamliners.