SpiceJet's Sanjiv Kapoor joins Vistara as chief strategy and commercial officer

The full-service airline Vistara has appointed Sanjiv Kapoor as its chief strategy and commercial officer. Kapoor will manage a wide portfolio of Vistara's commercial and planning functions. He takes over from Giam Ming Toh who is returning to Singapore Airlines on completion of his deputation with Vistara.

Amongst his various duties, Kapoor's portfolio includes strategy development, network planning, pricing and revenue management, sales and distribution, product development, branding, marketing, and customer experience. He will also be responsible for in-flight services and ground operations.

Kapoor has over 19 years of experience in the airline industry in various leadership and consulting roles. His last assignment was as chief operating officer at SpiceJet.

"I am very pleased to join an airline that has the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines as its parents - you simply cannot beat the pedigree. Vistara has already earned an enviable reputation in terms of customer experience, service, and operational excellence, and is well-positioned to deliver on the proud legacy of the father of Indian aviation, JRD Tata. I look forward to work with Phee Teik and the entire Vistara team with the confidence that we will together fulfil JRD's dream to create an airline that will make India proud”, says Kapoor.

Phee Teik Yeoh, CEO, Vistara, adds, "We welcome Kapoor into the Vistara family. We are entering into a new phase of growth and his industry knowledge, backed by rich Indian and global experience will be valuable in propelling Vistara's growth. We are keen to leverage his passion for the business and his understanding of India's market dynamics to grow our presence and build on Vistara's mission and promise.”

Kapoor, a native of Kolkata, received his MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and his Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Dartmouth College, USA. He is the co-founder of the NGO 'A Garbage Free India' that works with local municipalities and schools in India to change public attitudes and clean up India's streets.

Ming Toh, who has been with the airline since its inception, will work alongside Kapoor for a smooth transition until the end of April.

Tata SIA Airlines, known by the brand name Vistara, is a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines (SIA), with Tata Sons holding the majority stake of 51 per cent in the company and SIA holding the remaining 49 per cent. Vistara commenced its commercial operations on January 9, 2015.