Exclusive: IndiGo identifies successor for Elbers; Rahul Bhatia takes interim charge

InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, the parent company of IndiGo, said on Tuesday that Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers has stepped down with immediate effect, citing personal reasons.

In a regulatory filing, the company said the Board of Directors accepted Elbers’ resignation and thanked him for his contribution and service to the organisation since taking charge in September 2022.

Sources tell CNBC-TV18 that the IndiGo board has already identified a successor to Pieter Elbers, following his resignation as CEO. Managing Director Rahul Bhatia will oversee the airline’s operations in the interim until the leadership transition is completed.

“As per our conversation, due to personal reasons, I herewith submit my resignation from the position of CEO of IndiGo with effect from today. I would request that the notice period may be waived off,” Elbers said in his resignation letter.

Chairman Vikram Singh Mehta said Bhatia’s return to operational oversight would help strengthen the company’s culture, reinforce operational excellence and deepen its commitment to service, reliability and professionalism.

Bhatia, who co-founded the airline more than two decades ago, said he felt a deep sense of responsibility towards the airline, its customers, employees and stakeholders.

“While placing culture, service excellence and stakeholder trust at the forefront, IndiGo will continue sharpening its strategic focus on serving India and her people with an airline that is professionally managed, operationally reliable and globally respected,” he said.

In an email to employees, Bhatia acknowledged the operational disruptions the airline faced last December, saying “what happened last December should never have taken place”. He noted that frontline staff had “bore the brunt” of the disruptions and stressed that IndiGo must work to regain the “right of choice with our customers”.

The comments come after mass flight cancellations weighed on the airline’s latest quarterly earnings, with net profit plunging 78% to ₹550 crore.

Shares of InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, which operates IndiGo, closed at ₹4,383.50 on the NSE, up ₹146.80 or 3.46%, ahead of the board meeting outcome.