Air New Zealand has announced the appointment of Nikhil Ravishankar as its next chief executive officer, succeeding Greg Foran, who steps down in October after almost six years.

Currently, the airline's chief digital officer, Ravishankar, will officially take over as CEO on October 20, 2025.

Air New Zealand Board Chair, Dame Therese Walsh, said Ravishankar brings the "mindset and contemporary leadership" that the Kiwi airline needs to build on its strong foundations and focus on the future.

"Airlines will continue to face immense challenges, whether that's climate change, customer expectations, technology, cost pressures, or geopolitics. Nikhil brings a fresh perspective that is grounded in New Zealand values and a deep knowledge of the airline and critical infrastructure across different sectors. He's not afraid to challenge how things are done and ask questions," Walsh added.

Before Air New Zealand, Ravishankar was chief digital officer at Vector and managing director of Accenture.