New Air India CEO declines the role at the last moment, says Indian media ‘coloured’ his appointment

• Tata Group, which recently took over national air carrier Air India had on February 14, announced Turkish national Ilker Ayci as its new CEO.
• Ayci will assume his new responsibilities on or before April 1, but he reportedly declined the job offer today.
• The Economic Times say that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) opposed Ayci's appointment.

Tata Sons, which bought debt-laden ‘Maharajah’ from the government five months back, has reportedly lost its new CEO even before he started working.

On February 14, Tata Sons had announced the appointment of Ilker Ayci, former chairman of Turkish Airlines, as the chief executive officer and managing director of Air India. Ayci was to assume his new responsibilities on or before April 1.

In a statement sent to Bloomberg, Ayci said that his appointment was ‘coloured’ by the Indian media. “I have come to the conclusion that it would not be a feasible or an honourable decision to accept the position in the shadow of such a narrative,” he said as per reports.

However, according to reports by Reuters and Bloomberg on Tuesday Ayci has declined the job offer amid political reasons. Media reports say that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a political organisation in India, opposed Ayci's appointment.

This is because in the past Ayci was an advisor to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 1994. Reportedly, Erdogan had supported the Kashmir issue in his address to world leaders at the UN General Assembly session late last year.


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