In a surprising turn of events, Chairman of Ethiopian Airlines Group, Ato Girma Wake, has stepped down from his role. He will be succeded by Lieutenant General Yilma Merdassa, the Commander of Ethiopian Air Force.
While Lieutenant General Yilma Merdassa has been serving the Airline Group in the capacity of Management Board member for the last two and half years, this development has sparked concerns and raised questions about the motives behind this management change, with potential political implications.
Girma Wake, a highly respected figure in the aviation industry, boasts an impressive career spanning several decades. He served as the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines from 2004 to 2011, during which he successfully transformed the airline into Africa’s most successful carrier. From 2012 to 2017 he was the Chairman of RwandAir, before eventually returning to Ethiopian Airlines in 2018. His immense contributions and expertise have been recognized both within Ethiopia and internationally including AviaDev’s Girma Wake Lifetime Achievement Award which is named in his honor.
During his tenure at Ethiopian, the 79 year old aviation veteran played a pivotal role in the airline’s growth and development, overseeing significant achievements and successfully navigating numerous challenges over the years including the fallout from the 737 MAX crash and the effects of the Covid Pandemic.
This article has been updated
