KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced on Monday that it has appointed New Zealand national Adrian Hamilton-Manns as its new chief executive officer, describing the move as a “pivotal chapter” in the former national flag carrier’s ongoing transformation.

Pakistan’s former national airline, the PIA was privatized in December 2025 after a consortium led by business conglomerate Arif Habib Corporation acquired a 75 percent stake in it for Rs135 billion ($482 million). The privatization was completed after a televised bidding process that valued the carrier at Rs180 billion ($643 million).

Giving an introduction of Hamilton-Manns, the PIA said he has managed three airlines in the past as its chief executive officer. It added that he is considered “a world expert in transformation and reviving airlines” with over 30 years of professional experience.

“PIA Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Adrian Hamilton-Manns as the CEO,” the airline said in a statement. “He has assumed charge of the office from today.”

The airline thanked outgoing CEO Air Vice Marshal Amir Hayat, crediting him for navigating the airline through “significant industry challenges” throughout his four-year tenure.

“As we welcome Mr. Adrian to the helm, we are confident that his extensive industry expertise will accelerate our strategic objectives, elevate our service standards, and drive sustainable profitability in this new era for PIA,” the statement said.

According to Middle East Forbes, Hamilton-Manns was appointed as CEO of Oman’s SalamAir low-cost airline in June 2024. It added that Hamilton-Manns was previously president and CEO of the Kazakhstan-based FlyArystan airline, and has held roles at South African Airways and Virgin Australia as well.

The PIA was privatized last year as part of the government’s ambitious drive to hand over loss-making state-owned enterprises to the private sector. Once considered among Asia’s leading carriers, PIA struggled with chronic mismanagement, political interference, overstaffing, mounting debt and operational issues that led to a 2020 ban on flights to the European Union, UK and the US after a pilot licensing scandal. The EU and the UK lifted the bans later, providing fresh momentum to the carrier.

In an interview to Arab News in December last year, the airline’s new owner and CEO of the Arif Habib Group said the airline’s new management plans to renovate PIA aircraft, increase its current fleet with new planes, improve maintenance and flight schedule to revive the carrier.