IATA names Saadia Zahidi first female Director General

Dhaka: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has appointed Saadia Zahidi as its next Director General, effective November 1. She will assume the position as the ninth chief and the first woman to lead the global airline body, said a press release on July 23.

Outgoing Director General Willie Walsh will step down on July 31. Sandrine Le Borgne, IATA's Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President for Corporate Services, will serve as Interim Director General until Zahidi takes charge.

Zahidi currently serves as Managing Director and a member of the Managing Board at the World Economic Forum (WEF), where she has spent more than two decades.

Roberto Alvo, Chair of the IATA Board of Directors and CEO of LATAM Airlines Group, said Zahidi's experience at WEF would strengthen IATA's voice for the global airline industry, noting that shifting technology and geopolitics would reshape the sector ahead.

Alvo also credited Walsh's leadership for helping IATA emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic stronger and with broader membership.

Zahidi said she was honored to help advance IATA's mission at what she called a pivotal moment for the industry. She pointed to aviation's role in driving trade, tourism, jobs, and investment worldwide.

She added that she looked forward to working with member airlines, governments, and industry partners to strengthen aviation's resilience while supporting innovation and sustainable growth across the sector in the years ahead.

At WEF, Zahidi founded and leads the Centre for the New Economy and Society. She has also overseen the organization's global communications and programming groups, along with its engagement with academia, civil society, and international bodies.

She originated several WEF flagship publications, including the Future of Jobs Report, the Future of Growth Report, the Global Gender Gap Report, and the Chief Economist Outlook.

Zahidi has served on the UN Secretary-General's panel for women's economic empowerment and the European Space Agency's High-Level Advisory Group. She has also authored a book titled "Fifty Million Rising" tracking the rise of working women across the Muslim world.

She holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Smith College, a master's in international economics from the Graduate Institute, and a master's in public administration from Harvard University. She holds Swiss and Pakistani citizenship.