Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has appointed Adrian Hamilton-Manns as its new chief executive, with the New Zealand-born airline executive taking up the role with immediate effect on Monday 2 November 2026.
Hamilton-Manns succeeds Air Vice Marshal Amir Hayat, who led the carrier for four and a half years and oversaw the privatisation process through to the transfer of shareholding control. The change places a new chief executive at the head of PIA as the airline moves forward under private management controlled by the consortium led by Arif Habib.
Experience across airline turnarounds
Hamilton-Manns brings more than 30 years of aviation-industry experience to the role. He has served as the senior executive at three airlines, including as founding chief executive of flyafrica.com from 2012 to 2016 and as chair of Kazakhstan-based FlyArystan from 2020 to 2024. He joined Oman low-cost carrier SalamAir in July 2024.
His earlier career included roles at Air New Zealand, where he began working in the industry in 1997, as well as South African Airways, IndiGo and Pacific Blue. His professional profile describes him as a turnaround specialist, a background that is particularly relevant as PIA seeks to improve its commercial and operational performance under its new ownership structure.
| PIA leadership change | Detail |
|---|---|
| New chief executive | Adrian Hamilton-Manns |
| Start date | 2 November 2026 |
| Predecessor | Air Vice Marshal Amir Hayat |
| Ownership context | Private management led by the Arif Habib consortium |
Growth record cited by the carrier’s new leadership
Hamilton-Manns’ previous record at FlyArystan is central to the case for his appointment. Air Astana group figures show that the subsidiary’s revenue increased by 384% between 2020 and 2023, rising from US$57.4 million to US$277.8 million. The airline also expanded its operation to 19 aircraft during that period.
At SalamAir, the carrier operated 5,144 flights and transported 712,610 passengers between April and June 2025, according to Forbes Middle East. Those figures provide the main published evidence of the operating scale and growth delivered during Hamilton-Manns’ recent airline leadership roles.
Profitability target under private management
PIA’s new owners have argued that the airline can become profitable in its first year under private management. The expectation adds a financial objective to Hamilton-Manns’ immediate remit, alongside the task of maintaining the carrier’s operation during the ownership transition.
- Hamilton-Manns has led three airlines as their top executive.
- His previous employers include Air New Zealand, South African Airways, IndiGo and Pacific Blue.
- His appointment follows Air Vice Marshal Amir Hayat’s role in steering PIA through the privatisation process.
The appointment marks a change in leadership rather than a new route or fleet announcement. PIA’s performance under Hamilton-Manns will be assessed against the private owners’ profitability ambition and the wider transformation of the carrier following the transfer of control.
