The Board of Management of Ethiopian Airlines Group announced today the appointment of Mesfin Tasew Bekele as CEO of the airline, and he takes on the role effective March 23, 2022.
Mesfin succeeds the former CEO of the Airline group, Tewolde GebreMariam whose early retirement request due to health issues was approved by the board.
Prior to his appointment, Mesfin has been serving as the Chief Executive Officer of ASKY Airlines since 2021 and has led the airline with a profitable growth strategy.
Asky is a private multinational passenger airline serving west and central Africa. Ethiopian Airlines is a 40% shareholder in Asky Airlines.
Speaking on his appointment Mesfin Tassew said, “I am honored and humbled to be appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines Group which I have been serving for nearly four decades in various positions. My new role gives me the opportunity to carry on with the fast and profitable growth of our beloved airline and take it to the next level. I call on all my colleagues at Ethiopian to join hands and forge ahead for further success.”
Before joining Asky Airlines, Mesfin led Ethiopian Airlines as COO from 2010 –2021 a role in which he successfully led the operation of the airline in an efficient and cost effective way by optimizing processes and developing internal resources to cope up with the airlines growth strategy.
The Board also noted that Mesfin shepherded the airline in a vice President role in the field of Maintenance and Engineering from 2006 –2010; Chief Information Officer from 1998 – 2006; Manager of Planning and Automation, Maintenance and Engineering Division from 1995 – 1997; and Avionics Engineer and Supervisor Avionics Engineering Group from 1984 – 1994.
The Board Chairman of the airline, Girma Wake said, “I would like to congratulate Mr Mesfin on his new appointment and I am fully confident about his capabilities. We believe that Mr Mesfin will lead the airline to an even greater success, keeping it on the right track that will see it grow through many generations to come. I urge the 17,000 employees of Ethiopian and the board members to stand with the new Group CEO to keep the airline fly high. We are also thankful for the remarkable contributions of the former Group CEO.”
Hailing from Addis Ababa, Mesfin is an alumnus of Addis Ababa University where he holds BSC and MSC Degree in Electrical Engineering.
He also holds MSc. Degree of Master of Business Administration from the Open University of United Kingdom.
An aviation specialist, Mesfin Tasew started his airline career with Ethiopian Airlines in 1984 as an Associate Engineer and progressed through the ladder and has served the airline for close to 4 decades.
