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Who is Praveen Iyer? Akasa Air co-founder quits in second high-level exit in 3 years
Praveen Iyer is a co-founder of Akasa Air and served as its Chief Commercial Officer. He was also a member of the airline’s executive committee.
Akasa Air co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer Praveen Iyer has stepped down from the airline, marking the second major leadership exit at the carrier in less than three years of operations.
Announcing the development, Akasa Air founder and Chief Executive Officer Vinay Dube credited Iyer for his role in shaping the airline’s commercial direction during its formative years.
“Praveen has been instrumental in shaping not just Akasa's commercial vision but the airline itself…,” Dube said, thanking him for his leadership and long-term perspective.
Also read| Akasa Air's co-founder Praveen Iyer quits in second high-level exit in 3 years
Who is Praveen Iyer?
Praveen Iyer is a co-founder of Akasa Air and served as its Chief Commercial Officer. He was also a member of the airline’s executive committee.
Before joining Akasa, Iyer held senior roles at Jet Airways and Qatar Airways, where he gained extensive experience in network planning, revenue management and commercial strategy. At Akasa, he played a key role in designing the airline’s commercial framework and market positioning from its launch phase.
Iyer completed his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Mumbai. He then finished an MBA and began his career with McDonald’s.
Following his exit, another co-founder, Anand Srinivasan, has taken over as Chief Commercial Officer. Srinivasan, who earlier served as Chief Information Officer, will now oversee commercial operations. The airline has begun the search for a new Chief Information Officer, with the IT function temporarily reporting to Chief Financial Officer Ankur Goel.
Akasa Air, backed by the family of late investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, was founded by a group of aviation professionals, including Vinay Dube and former IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh. The airline currently holds around 5 per cent market share in India’s aviation sector.
