IndiGo appoints former AI Express MD Aloke Singh as Chief Strategy Officer
New Delhi (PTI): The country's largest airline IndiGo on Monday announced the appointment of former Air India Express Managing Director Aloke Singh as its Chief Strategy Officer.
The appointment comes two weeks after the sudden resignation of IndiGo's CEO Pieter Elbers.
Singh, an aviation industry veteran who led Air India Express for over five years, will now report to IndiGo's Managing Director Rahul Bhatia. Once the new CEO takes over, Singh will start reporting to that person.
The board of InterGlobe Aviation, which operates the airline under the name IndiGo, approved Singh's appointment on Monday.
On March 2, Singh told the Air India Express staff that he was departing the airline after his tenure ends on March 19.
"Singh will lead the company's long-term strategic planning function and drive enterprise-wide transformation initiatives focused on accelerating growth, enhancing operational efficiency and strengthening competitive positioning in a rapidly evolving global aviation landscape.
"He will partner closely with the leadership team on cross-functional priorities designed to improve agility, elevate customer experience and deliver sustainable shareholder value," IndiGo said in a statement on Monday.
Bhatia said Singh brings an exceptional blend of strategic vision and operational depth.
"His comprehensive understanding of the aviation ecosystem will be invaluable as we build a more agile, resilient and future-ready organisation, and accelerate our next phase of growth. For now, Aloke will report to me. Once the next CEO assumes office, he will transition to reporting to the new Chief Executive," Bhatia said.
Singh had served at Air India Express as Managing Director and as Chief Executive Officer. He has also held senior leadership positions at Air India and Oman Air.
“I am delighted to join IndiGo at such a pivotal moment for the airline and for Indian aviation broadly. Having redefined India’s domestic and short-haul international aviation landscape, IndiGo is taking its ambitions global.
"I look forward to working with colleagues across the organisation to sharpen our strategic direction, double down on operational excellence and deepen and broaden our markets," Singh said in the statement.
In a message to the staff, Bhatia said Singh would lead the company's mid-to-long-term strategic planning function and drive transformation initiatives focused on accelerating growth, enhancing operational efficiencies and elevating customer experience.
According to Bhatia, Singh would be responsible for synchronising network/ product evolution with the fleet plan, driving long-term strategic projects, including the entry-into-service of the A350-900 into the airline's fleet and the development of hub airports in India to support the global aspirations.
Singh has the distinction of helming Air India Express, which has significantly expanded its operations under the ownership of the government, as well as the Tata Group. Also, his departure will mark a top-level change at the airline after coming under the Tata Group in January 2022.
He joined the then government-owned Air India Express as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on November 9, 2020, and was appointed as the MD for a three-year period on March 19, 2023.
Meanwhile, Pieter Elbers quit as IndiGo CEO citing personal reasons on March 10, and the country's largest airline has relieved him with immediate effect, a development that came three months after massive operational disruptions triggered widespread public outrage and regulatory actions.
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Diageo India collaborates with IRTE, Bengaluru Traffic Police to improve road safety
Bengaluru (PTI): Diageo India, in collaboration with the Institute of Road Traffic Education and the Bengaluru Traffic Police, has undertaken a road safety and traffic engineering study aimed at improving safety and traffic efficiency at key intersections in the city, the company said on Wednesday.
The initiative, taken up as part of the Diageo India (United Spirits Limited)’s Corporate Social Responsibility commitments, focuses on enhancing road safety and urban mobility in Bengaluru through research, on-ground assessment and capacity building.
According to a statement, the study assessed three key intersections—Chalukya Circle, Cantonment Railway Station Junction and H Siddaiah Circle—using a scientific, data-driven methodology that included traffic volume analysis, behavioural observations and road safety audits.
These locations were selected to represent different urban contexts, including administrative, transport hub and recreational zones, it said.
The analysis examined traffic movement patterns, pedestrian usage and crossing behaviour, and the role of road design and infrastructure in influencing traffic flow. It also identified opportunities to improve traffic efficiency through better planning and design.
The study recommended several low-cost engineering interventions such as improved lane channelisation, pedestrian refuge islands, optimised signal placement and enhanced signage to help improve traffic flow and road safety, the company said.
Bengaluru, one of India’s fastest-growing metropolitan cities, has over 14 million residents and more than 1.2 crore registered vehicles, placing significant pressure on road infrastructure and contributing to high congestion levels, the statement said.
As part of the initiative, a two-day training programme for Bengaluru Traffic Police officers was conducted on March 30 and 31 by Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE).
Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Bengaluru City, Karthik Reddy said Managing traffic in a city like Bengaluru requires a strong understanding of enforcement, road engineering, and on-ground realities.
Initiatives like this play an important role in strengthening the capacity of our officers and bringing valuable technical insights into day-to-day traffic management, he said.
"Greater coordination between planning, engineering, and enforcement agencies, along with a focus on both vehicular movement and pedestrian safety, will be key to improving traffic efficiency and making our roads safer for all."
Devashish Dasgupta, Corporate Relations Director, Diageo India (USL) said: " Through this collaboration with IRTE and Bengaluru Traffic Police, we are taking a science-based, data-driven approach to improving traffic flow and road safety. Starting with a pilot study across three key junctions and capacity building sessions, we aim to scale this initiative in a phased manner."
Headquartered in Bengaluru, Diageo India is among India's leading beverage alcohol companies, it claimed.
