Ethiopian Airlines names Bekele new CEO

BY SADE WILLIAMS

Ethiopian Airlines Group has named Mesfin Tasew Bekele as chief executive officer following his appointment by the board of management of the leading African carrier, effective March 23, 2022.

Bekele succeeds former CEO, Tewolde GebreMariam whose early retirement request due to health issues has been approved by the board.

The new CEO has 38 years of experience in airline management and operations in the areas of aircraft maintenance and engineering, procurement, information technology, flight operations, capability development, capacity building, development of corporate strategies, airline operation management, and corporate leadership.

He earned a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Open University in the UK, MSc degree in Electrical Engineering, specialising in communications engineering from Addis Ababa University, and BSc degree in Electrical Engineering from Addis Ababa University.

Girma Wake, board chairman, said, “I would like to congratulate Mesfin on his new appointment and I am fully confident about his capabilities. We believe that Mesfin will lead the airline to an even greater success, keeping it on the right track that will see it grow through many generations to come. I urge the 17,000 employees of Ethiopian, and the board members to stand with the new Group CEO to keep the airline flying high. We are also thankful for the remarkable contributions of the former Group CEO.”

Speaking on the appointment, Bekele said, “I am honoured and humbled to be appointed as the chief executive officer of Ethiopian Airlines Group which I have been serving for nearly four decades in various positions. My new role gives me the opportunity to carry on with the fast and profitable growth of our beloved airline and take it to the next level. I call on all my colleagues at Ethiopian to join hands and forge ahead for further success.”