Oman's SalamAir chief nominated as PIA's next CEO, expected to take charge by October-end

According to Business Recorder, Adrian Hamilton Manns, who runs Oman's low-cost carrier SalamAir, has been put forward as the next head of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). The appointment is anticipated to take effect before October ends. A formal announcement has yet to come because security and other regulatory clearances are still pending.

If confirmed, Manns would be among the first senior appointments made since the airline's management passed to a consortium led by Arif Habib Corporation on June 29, 2026. The new private owners want to fix operations after years of financial losses, inefficiency, fleet problems and political interference. Manns has built and managed low-cost airlines in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, though PIA is a full-service carrier.

His background includes leading SalamAir since July 2024 and FlyArystan in Kazakhstan from April 2020 to July 2024. The report also noted an earlier attempt to hire former Ethiopian Airlines chief Tewolde Gebremariam, which ended when Air India named him chief executive in August. That setback left PIA's new management still searching for an executive, and the current nomination follows it.