PIA appoints aviation veteran Adrian Hamilton-Manns as new CEO

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has appointed aviation executive Adrian Hamilton-Manns as its new chief executive officer, with him taking charge on Monday, November 2, 2026.

The appointment was announced by the PIA Board, which said the new chief executive would lead the national carrier's transformation and efforts to improve its commercial performance.

Hamilton-Manns brings more than three decades of experience in the international aviation industry and has led three airlines as chief executive, according to the board. His expertise includes airline restructuring, transformation and turnaround strategies.

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Before joining PIA, he served as chief executive of Oman-based SalamAir. He also headed Kazakhstan's FlyArystan from April 2020 to July 2024 and was the founding CEO of Africa-focused low-cost carrier flyafrica.com between 2012 and 2016.

His career includes senior commercial roles at India's IndiGo, South African Airways, Virgin Australia's Pacific Blue and Indonesia's Mandala Airlines. He began working in the aviation industry at Air New Zealand in 1997.

Hamilton-Manns succeeds Air Vice Marshal Amir Hayat, who served as PIA's CEO for four-and-a-half years.

The board acknowledged Hayat's role in introducing structural reforms, improving operational efficiency and preparing the airline for privatisation.