Walking the Talk: IATA Breaks the Glass Ceiling as Saadia Zahidi Becomes First Female Director General

July 24, 2026 in Companies, Travel & Tourism by Editor

The International Air Transport Association has appointed Saadia Zahidi as its first female Director General, marking a historic leadership milestone that reflects the organisation’s long-running 25by2025 campaign to improve gender diversity across global aviation.

 

When the International Air Transport Association (IATA) launched its 25by2025 campaign six years ago, it challenged the global aviation industry to improve female representation in senior leadership and other traditionally underrepresented roles. By appointing Saadia Zahidi as its first female Director General, the world’s leading airline trade body has now embodied the very change it urged the industry to embrace.

The IATA Board on Thursday named Zahidi, a Managing Director and Member of the Managing Board at the World Economic Forum (WEF), as the association’s ninth Director General. She takes office on November 1, succeeding Willie Walsh, who steps down at the end of July after steering the airline industry through its post-pandemic recovery.

Her appointment marks a historic milestone for an organisation that represents some 350 airlines accounting for more than 80 percent of global air traffic.

It also reinforces IATA’s long-standing campaign to promote greater gender diversity across aviation, an industry where women remain underrepresented in executive leadership despite growing participation in technical and operational roles.

Launched in 2019, the 25by2025 initiative encouraged airlines and aviation stakeholders to increase female representation by 25 percent, or to a minimum of 25 percent, in senior positions and underrepresented occupations by 2025.

Although significant progress has been made across the industry, leadership at the highest levels has remained largely male dominated, making Zahidi’s appointment particularly symbolic.

“The Board is very pleased to appoint Saadia Zahidi as Director General,” said Roberto Alvo, Chair of the IATA Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of LATAM Airlines Group.

He said Zahidi’s extensive experience at the World Economic Forum would strengthen IATA’s role as the global voice of the airline industry at a time when aviation faces profound technological and geopolitical change.

“The global air transport industry is a trillion-dollar sector that has and continues to change the world for the better,” Alvo said. “Technology and geopolitics, among others, will reshape the industry in the future and Saadia brings the right skills to effectively articulate what our industry needs to continue connecting people and economies safely, efficiently and sustainably.”

Before joining IATA, Zahidi spent more than two decades at the World Economic Forum, where she established and currently leads its Centre for the New Economy and Society.

She has also led the Forum’s work on global communications, economic growth and labour markets, while authoring influential publications including the Future of Jobs Report, Global Gender Gap Report and Future of Growth Report.

Her career has focused on the intersection of economic transformation, labour markets, technology and inclusive growth—issues increasingly shaping the future of global aviation.

“I am honoured to help advance IATA’s mission to represent, lead and serve the airline industry at this pivotal moment,” Zahidi said following her appointment.

She described aviation as critical infrastructure supporting economic growth, trade, tourism, investment and employment, adding that her priority would be to work with airlines, governments and industry partners to strengthen innovation, resilience and sustainable growth.

Walsh, the former British Airways and International Airlines Group chief executive, leaves after overseeing IATA through one of the most challenging periods in aviation history as airlines rebuilt operations following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recognising the transition period, IATA has appointed Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President for Corporate Services Sandrine Le Borgne as Interim Director General between Walsh’s departure on July 31 and Zahidi’s assumption of office in November.

For African aviation, Zahidi’s appointment comes at a time when the continent is striving to unlock its enormous aviation potential through market liberalisation, improved infrastructure, and deeper regional integration—reforms that IATA has long championed.

Her appointment also signals a broader evolution within one of aviation’s most influential institutions—demonstrating that diversity in leadership is becoming not only an aspiration for the airline industry, but a reality at its highest level.