- IATA appointed Saadia Zahidi as Director General from 1 November 2026.
- Zahidi is the ninth Director General and the first woman to hold the position.
- She joins from the World Economic Forum where she is a Managing Director.
- Willie Walsh concludes his duties on 31 July 2026.
- Sandrine Le Borgne will serve as Interim Director General.
IATA has appointed Saadia Zahidi as Director General from 1 November 2026, making her the ninth Director General and the first woman to hold the position. Zahidi joins IATA from the World Economic Forum where she is a Managing Director and Member of the Managing Board. Glasnevin born Willie Walsh, IATA’s current Director General, will conclude his duties on 31 July 2026.
Saadia Zahidi is a prominent Pakistani-Swiss economist and global policy strategist who serves as a Managing Director at the World Economic Forum (WEF)
She s pent over two decades at the World Economic Forum, becoming its youngest Managing Director in 2018. She leads the Centre for the New Economy and Society, focusing on economic opportunity and workforce transformation.]
She authored Fifty Million Rising (2018) on women in the Muslim world workforce. She has served on advisory panels for the UN and the European Space Agency, receiving recognition for her advocacy on gender and economic issues.
Zahidi spent more than two decades at the World Economic Forum and founded its Centre for the New Economy and Society. She holds an MPA from Harvard University, a BA in Economics from Smith College, and an MPhil in International Economics from The Graduate Institute. IATA represents over 370 airlines accounting for some 85pc of global air traffic.
IATA’s Board of Directors has appointed Sandrine Le Borgne, IATA’s Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President for Corporate Services, as Interim Director General for the intervening period. Roberto Alvo, Chair of the IATA Board of Directors and CEO of LATAM Airlines Group, stated the Board is pleased to appoint Zahidi as Director General.
Roberto Alvo, Chair of the IATA Board, shared, “The Board is very pleased to appoint Saadia Zahidi as Director General of IATA.”
Saadia Zahidi shared, “Aviation is critical infrastructure for economic growth, trade, tourism, jobs, investment and opportunity.”
