Air India to induct outsiders in key posts

The Air India management seems to have finally acquiesced in inducting outside professionals for key positions to achieve the difficult task of turning around the ailing carrier.

In a series of openings (most appear to be new positions, created for the first time), the airline has sought senior professionals to head functions of turnaround strategy, information technology, human resource development and media communications. It has also advertised for the post of a new chief operating officer (COO) for low-cost arm Air India Express, barely a month after an AI Express aircraft crashed at Mangalore.

Except for the AI COO, all other recruits will report directly to AI’s
chairman and MD Arvind Jadhav. The chief strategy officer is perhaps the most important post Jadhav is seeking to create and this individual would be specifically tasked with ensuring that the airline’s turnaround strategy is translated into action. He would need over 5 years’ experience in managing strategy engagements with full service airlines besides having a decade of other related experience. Not only would he be defining key performance initiatives and preparing reports on the operating, commercial and financial performance of Air India’s SBUs and departments, he would also be required to gather market intelligence on competitors!

The chief HR advisor would perhaps have the toughest job of all. His job description includes creation of a new organisation structure for the combined Air India-Indian Airlines entity and also devising a “meaningful and rational” incentive scheme for employees. Given the stiff internal opposition to the merger, this individual will surely have to do a very fine balancing act. But the advertisement released by AI does not make it clear if this position is over and above director personnel Anup K Srivastava’s role.

The chief communications advisor will be responsible for improving the airline’s image among its employees and to the world outside, besides dealing with the media and other related events. And a chief information officer would be heading the information technology function of Air India. Given the current delays in integrating the IT functions of the erstwhile Air India and Indian Airlines, this individual too is expected to have his task cut out for him.

AI Express’s COO would be reporting to the new airline COO Gustav Baldauf. Not surprisingly, the ad lays emphasis on the safety and regulatory aspect of this job. Applications for all these new posts should come in by July 12.