Korean Air CEO named aviation leader of the year

Korean Air Chairman and CEO Walter Cho has been selected as the top aviation leader of the year by global aviation magazine Air Transport World, the nation’s flag carrier said Wednesday.

“Since taking the helm at Korean Air in 2019, Walter Cho has rapidly gained a worldwide reputation for industry vision and dynamic management. His nimble and out-the-box thinking, particularly with regard to airline partnerships – especially the transpacific joint venture with Delta Air Lines – and the company’s cargo business, made Korean Air stronger than ever through the worst times of the pandemic,” the magazine said.

“As chair of the SkyTeam global alliance board and a member of the IATA board of governors, Mr. Cho has emerged as an excellent leader at Korean Air and across the industry.”

Korean Air said Cho will attend the ATW Airline Industry Achievement Awards ceremony set to be held in Istanbul on June 2 to receive the prestigious Excellence in Leadership Award, one of the industry’s top honors.

"The unprecedented pandemic crisis proved why connectivity, a key value of the aviation industry, is important," Cho said in a statement. "Korean Air has tried to maintain connectivity between the passenger and cargo industries despite the world’s blocked skyways."

Meanwhile, Korean Air was also recognized for the past two years as ATW’s 2021 Airlines of the Year and 2022 Cargo Operator of the Year. Cho has also received several awards for his leadership such as FlightGlobal’s 2022 Air Cargo Leadership Award and Orient Aviation’s 2021 Person of the Year.