Ronojoy Dutta to retire as IndiGo CEO, Pieter Elbers named successor

Ronojoy Dutta will be retiring as the Chief Executive Officer of low-cost carrier IndiGo on September 30, 2022. Pieter Elbers has been appointed as Dutta’s successor, the company said in a press release on Wednesday.

“The Board of Directors of InterGlobe Aviation Limited (IndiGo) appoints Pieter Elbers (52) as Chief Executive Officer, subject to regulatory approvals. He will join IndiGo on or before 01 October 2022. He succeeds Mr Ronojoy Dutta (71) who has decided to retire on 30 September 2022, after guiding IndiGo through the turbulent Covid period.

“The Board of Directors and I would like to thank Rono for effectively leading our business for almost four years with a steady hand through what has been the most turbulent period in the airline’s history and aviation globally,” Mr Rahul Bhatia, Managing Director of IndiGo said in a statement.

Elbers, 52, will be joining IndiGo on or before October 01, 2022. He started his career at KLM in 1992 at their Schiphol hub and over time, held several managerial positions in both The Netherlands and overseas in Japan, Greece and Italy. After he returned to The Netherlands, he was appointed as the Senior Vice President of Network & Alliances, before he was promoted in 2011 as the Chief Operating Officer.

“I leave knowing that IndiGo is in the good custody of Mr. Elbers and that the future for IndiGo employees is secure and bright. I would like to thank all the employees at IndiGo for the kindness and affection they have shown me over the past four years,” Dutta said.

“As I move forward to the next chapter of my life, I will look back with nostalgia, fondness, and a tinge of separation regret,” he added.

“The Board of Directors and I would like to thank Rono for effectively leading our business for almost four years with a steady hand through what has been the most turbulent period in the airline’s history and aviation globally,” Rahul Bhatia, Managing Director of IndiGo said.

Elbers said that what IndiGo’s employees and leadership jointly built, since its start 16 years ago, is ‘impressive’. “I am very honoured and do look forward to build upon this, working together with the entire IndiGo team. I am delighted to become a part of the next stage of IndiGo’s incredible journey, further fulfilling the vision of what the airline can do and will be for its customers and for India,” he said.

Elbers was born in Schiedam, the Netherlands. He received a bachelor’s degree in Logistics Management and a Master's Degree in Business Economics.

Elbers’ global experience would help IndiGo in its international expansion plans as the airline inducts single-aisle long-range planes. The airline has always maintained that they would not want to get into dual-aisle long-range planes as those planes would not fit in their low-fare business model.

(With inputs from Mihir Mishra, ET Bureau)