Saadia Zahidi has been appointed the next Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), becoming the first woman to hold the position. Zahidi will assume office on 1 November 2026, bringing more than two decades of international leadership experience to the global airline industry.
The appointment was announced by IATA’s Board of Directors as the organisation prepares for a new leadership chapter. Zahidi will become IATA’s ninth Director General and succeeds Willie Walsh, whose tenure concludes on 31 July 2026.
Zahidi Set to Become IATA’s First Female Director General
Zahidi joins IATA from the World Economic Forum (WEF), where she serves as Managing Director and a Member of the Managing Board. Her appointment marks a significant milestone for the global aviation industry and places a prominent international policy leader at the helm of the organisation representing the world’s airlines.
Between Walsh’s departure and Zahidi’s arrival, IATA’s Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President for Corporate Services, Sandrine Le Borgne, will serve as Interim Director General. She will oversee the organisation during the transition period before Zahidi formally takes up her new role.
IATA Board Chair and LATAM Airlines Group CEO Roberto Alvo welcomed the appointment, saying Zahidi’s experience would strengthen the organisation’s role as the global voice of airlines. He also highlighted the rapidly changing environment facing aviation, particularly the influence of technology and geopolitics.
“The Board is very pleased to appoint Saadia Zahidi as Director General of IATA,” Alvo said. He added that her experience would bring a fresh perspective while building on IATA’s established technical, financial and data capabilities.
Alvo also paid tribute to outgoing Director General Willie Walsh for his leadership, particularly during the industry’s recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. He said Walsh helped IATA emerge stronger, with a more representative membership.
Meanwhile, Zahidi said she was honoured to take on the role at a pivotal time for aviation. She described air transport as critical infrastructure supporting economic growth, trade, tourism, employment, investment and opportunity worldwide.
“I am honored to help advance IATA’s mission to represent, lead and serve the airline industry at this pivotal moment,” Zahidi said. She stressed that the organisation’s role in bringing airlines, governments and industry partners together has become increasingly important.
Zahidi said her priorities would include strengthening aviation’s resilience, supporting innovation and advancing sustainable growth. She also pledged to work closely with IATA’s member airlines, governments and wider industry partners to shape aviation’s future.
“My top priority will be working with the IATA team and with the industry to build aviation’s future together,” she said.
The appointment comes as the aviation sector navigates major changes across technology, geopolitics and sustainability. Therefore, Zahidi’s background in economic development and global policy could position her to help airlines respond to these pressures.
Zahidi has spent more than 20 years at the World Economic Forum, where she currently leads its Centre for the New Economy and Society. Her previous responsibilities included leadership of the WEF’s Global Communications Group and Global Programming Group.
In addition, she has overseen the WEF’s engagement with academics, civil society and international organisations. She also founded and co-authors several major global reports, including the Future of Jobs Reports, Future of Growth Reports, Global Gender Gap Reports and Chief Economist Outlooks.
Her international experience extends beyond the WEF. Zahidi has served on the United Nations Secretary-General’s panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment and the European Space Agency’s High-Level Advisory Group.
She is also the author of Fifty Million Rising, a book examining the rise of working women in the Muslim world. Her academic background includes a BA in Economics from Smith College, an MPhil in International Economics from The Graduate Institute and an MPA from Harvard University.
Zahidi holds Swiss and Pakistani nationalities. Her appointment therefore represents both a leadership milestone for IATA and a significant moment for women in global aviation leadership.
As Zahidi prepares to take office in November, the industry will be watching how she builds on IATA’s established foundation. Her leadership comes at a time when airlines face the combined challenges of changing technology, geopolitical uncertainty and the need for sustainable growth.
Her appointment as IATA’s first female Director General could also broaden the organisation’s leadership perspective as it works to connect airlines, governments and industry partners. The transition will formally begin after Walsh concludes his duties on 31 July 2026.
