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Home » Latest » Data & Strategy » Revealed: The World’s Best Airline CEOs, 2023

Data & Strategy

Revealed: The World’s Best Airline CEOs, 2023

Best Airline

Robert Isom, Chief Executive Officer of American Airlines Group and American Airlines, ranked No. 1 in the CEOWORLD magazine’s Best Airline CEOs for 2023. The 2023 rankings placed Ed Bastian, Chief Executive Officer at Delta Air Lines, in the second spot ahead of Scott Kirby, Chief Executive Officer at United Airlines (No. 3), Carsten Spohr, Chief Executive Officer at Lufthansa (No. 4), Bob Jordan, President and Chief Executive Officer at Southwest Airlines (No. 5), and Shinya Katanozaka Chairman All Nippon Airways ranked sixth in the world.

While Sean Doyle, Chief Executive Officer at British Airways, ranked seventh, and Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum of Emirates Airline, eighth. Overall, among the top 10 Best Airline CEOs for 2023, the ninth and tenth positions are held by Robin Haye, CEO at JetBlue Airways and Tan Wan Geng, President and Chief Executive Officer at China Southern Airlines.

Best airline CEOs in the World for 2023

RankCEOTitleAirlineCountry
1Robert IsomChief Executive OfficerAmerican Airlines Group and American AirlinesUS
2Ed BastianChief Executive OfficerDelta Air LinesUS
3Scott KirbyChief Executive OfficerUnited AirlinesUS
4Carsten SpohrChief Executive OfficerLufthansaGermany
5Bob JordanPresident and Chief Executive OfficerSouthwest AirlinesUS
6Shinya KatanozakaChairmanAll Nippon AirwaysJapan
7Sean DoyleChief Executive OfficerBritish AirwaysUK
8Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al MaktoumChairman and Chief ExecutiveEmirates AirlineUnited Arab Emirates
9Robin HayeChief Executive OfficerJetBlue AirwaysUS
10Tan Wan Geng President and Chief Executive OfficerChina Southern AirlinesChina
11Akbar Al BakerChief Executive OfficerQatar AirwaysQatar
12Anne RigailChief Executive OfficerAir FranceFrance
13Shing-Hwang KaoPresidentChina AirlinesTaiwan
14Li YangminPresident and Vice ChairmanChina Eastern Airlines China
15Ben MinicucciChief Executive OfficerAlaska AirUS
16Marjan E.F. RintelPresident and CEOKLM Royal Dutch AirlinesNetherlands
17Goh Choon PhongChief Executive OfficerSingapore AirlinesSingapore
18Antonoaldo NevesGroup Chief Executive OfficerEtihad AirwaysUnited Arab Emirates
19AKASAKA Yuji President and Chief Executive OfficerJapan AirlinesJapan
20Ibrahim KoshyChief Executive OfficerSaudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA)Saudi Arabia
21Ronald LamGroup Chief Executive OfficerCathay Pacific AirwaysHong Kong
22Sun Chia-MingPresidentEVA AirwaysTaiwan
23Michael O’LearyGroup Chief Executive OfficerRyanair Ireland
24Javier SÁNCHEZ-PRIETOChairman and CEOIberia (airline)Spain
25Bilal EkşiChief Executive OfficerTurkish AirlinesTurkey
26Johan LundgrenChief Executive OfficerEasyJetUK
27Shai WeissChief Executive OfficerVirgin AtlanticUK
28Greg ForanChief Executive OfficerAir New ZealandNew Zealand
29TOPI MANNERChief Executive OfficerFinnairFinland
30Jayne HrdlickaChief Executive OfficerVirgin AustraliaAustralia
31Peter IngramPresident and Chief Executive OfficerHawaiian AirlinesUS
32Tony FernandesChief Executive OfficerAirAsia Malaysia
33Pieter ElbersChief Executive OfficerIndiGoIndia
34Michael RousseauPresident and Chief Executive OfficerAir Canada Canada
35Sergei AleksandrovskyChief Executive OfficerAeroflot – Russian AirlinesRussia
36Marco SansaviniChief Executive OfficerVuelingSpain
37Ted ChristiePresident and Chief Executive OfficerSpirit AirlinesUS
38Alan JoyceChief Executive OfficerQantas AirwaysAustralia
39Cho Won-TaeChairman and CEOKorean Air Lines South Korea
40Roberto AlvoChief Executive OfficerLATAM AirlinesChile
41John Peter RodgersonChief Executive OfficerAzul LinhasBrazil
42Zhao DongChairman Xiamen AirChina
43Andres Conesa LabastidaChief Executive OfficerAeroméxicoMexico
44Güliz ÖZTÜRKPresident & General Manager (CEO)Pegasus Airlines (Flypgs)Turkey
45Alexis von HoensbroechChief Executive OfficerWestJetCanada
46Steve HeapyChief Executive OfficerJet2UK
47CHAI EAMSIRIChief Executive OfficerThai AirwaysThailand
48Dieter VranckxChief Executive OfficerSwiss International (SWISS)Switzerland
49Lynne EmbletonChief Executive OfficerAer LingusIreland
50Michał FijołPresident and Chief Executive OfficerLOT Polish AirlinesPoland

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License and Republishing: The views in this article are the author’s own and do not represent CEOWORLD magazine. No part of this material may be copied, shared, or published without the magazine’s prior written permission. For media queries, please contact: info@ceoworld.biz. © CEOWORLD magazine LTD

Anna Papadopoulos, D.Litt.
Anna Papadopoulos, D.Litt. in Strategic Journalism and Publishing, is the senior money, wealth, and asset management editor at CEOWORLD Magazine, where she leverages her unique background as a Wall Street analyst turned editor to shape insightful, data-driven content for business leaders worldwide. With more than a decade of experience in financial services and editorial leadership, Anna specializes in translating market data, investor sentiment, and macroeconomic trends into strategic narratives that inform and inspire top executives.

Prior to joining CEOWORLD magazine, she worked in investment banking at a major firm before transitioning to editorial roles at leading financial publications. Her work has spanned topics such as corporate governance, executive leadership, ESG investing, and crisis communications. Anna holds degrees in Economics and Strategic Communications, and her analytical rigor is matched by her deep understanding of public relations strategy. She believes that finance and brand reputation are intertwined and crafts her editorial content with that in mind.

Anna also advises emerging financial writers through mentorship programs and frequently speaks at editorial roundtables and fintech conferences. At CEOWORLD Magazine, she is committed to producing content that empowers executives to lead with clarity, purpose, and influence in an increasingly complex business environment.

Email Anna Papadopoulos at anna@ceoworld.biz