Indian national Vipul Misra appointed as new CEO of SriLankan Airlines

Vipul Misra, an Indian national and expert in the field of aircraft engineering, has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SriLankan Airlines, effective from September 9, 2026. His internal promotion has been reported, having joined the company in 2024 as Chief Engineer and Accountable Manager.

The appointment of a technical expert to this position, which is usually held by a pilot or someone with a financial background, is a notable change.

SriLankan Airlines, which operates a fleet of approximately 23 aircraft to nearly 35 destinations with Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake as its hub, is a member of the 'oneworld' alliance, and the Indian market is its primary source of revenue. Amidst a leadership vacuum that persisted for a long time, Yasantha Dissanayake served as acting CEO from March 2025, and after Chairman Sarath Ganegoda resigned in March 2026, Dimal Arandara served as acting Chairman. Subsequently, a new board of directors, chaired by Sarath Ganegoda, was reappointed during September 7-8.

This leadership change occurs amidst a strategic program to restructure the government-owned airline, which is facing a severe financial crisis with accumulated losses nearing 340 billion rupees. For this purpose, a committee was appointed in June 2026, chaired by Hans Wijayasuriya, Senior Presidential Advisor on Digital Economy, and included Duminda Hulangamuwa, Deshal de Mel, Dumith Fernando, Ministry Secretaries, and the airline's Chairman. Deputy Minister of Civil Aviation, Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku, had stated that reforms would commence within six months based on the recommendations of this committee, which receives advisory support from the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

Before taking up his position in Sri Lanka, Vipul Misra, who was based in Delhi, is a licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) with over twenty years of experience. He holds a Master's degree in Aviation Law from NALSAR University of Law (2020-2022), a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management from Welingkar Institute (2015-2017), and a Bachelor of Science degree from Shobhit University. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka, he has also previously held the position of 'Accountable Manager,' who bears the ultimate responsibility for the safety and airworthiness of aircraft.

He began his career at Air Deccan from 2004 to 2006, subsequently holding senior engineering and technical management positions at Kingfisher (2006-2013), IndiGo (2013-2014), Vistara (2014-2018), SpiceJet (2018-2023), and Air India (2023-2024). Misra, a professional in his forties who is not frequently seen in the public media, aims to leverage his technical and management experience to enhance SriLankan Airlines' operational efficiency, financial stability, and organizational changes amidst the current crisis.