IATA: Mehmet Tevfik Nane Assumes Duties as Board of Governors Chair

Robin Hayes and Mehmet Tevfik Nane

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Pegasus Airlines Vice Chairperson Mehmet Tevfik Nane has assumed his duties as Chair of the IATA Board of Governors (BoG) for a one-year term, effective from the conclusion of the 78th IATA Annual General Meeting in Doha, Qatar, on June 21.

Nane is the 80th chair of the IATA BoG and has served on the BoG since 2019.

“I’m honored to take on this position at a time when the industry is emerging from our worst downturn. In addition to maintaining momentum toward re-opening the globe to travel and commerce, we have a very full agenda over the next 12 months,” Nane said.

This includes achieving agreement at the ICAO Assembly on a Long Term Aspirational Goal for governments on aviation’s decarbonization, refining the pathway to Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050, and broadening participation in the 25by2025 gender diversity initiative.

Nane was appointed CEO of Pegasus Airlines in 2016, a position he held until earlier this year, when he assumed his current position with the airline.

Prior to joining Pegasus, he served as CEO of Carrefour SA between 2013-2016, as CEO of Teknosa between 2005-2013, and as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Teknosa between 2000-2005.

Photo source: IATA

Nane succeeds JetBlue Airways CEO Robin Hayes, who will continue to serve on the IATA BoG.

“Robin assumed the Chair position in November 2020 at a point when international air travel was still largely shut down… Under his leadership, the industry approved the historic goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, worked closely with governments and international organizations to introduce bio safety measures to further reduce the low risk of transmission during air travel, and continued to make strong progress on our 25by2025 gender diversity initiative,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

IATA has also announced that RwandAir CEO Yvonne Manzi Makolo will serve as Chair of the BoG from June 2023, following Nane’s term.

Makolo will be the first woman to take on these duties.