NEW DELHI: IndiGo Monday appointed Aloke Singh, former MD & CEO of Air India Express, as its chief strategy officer (CSO). Singh had completed his tenure at AI Express on March 19, during which he had overseen the merger of erstwhile AirAsia India into the airline and steered the Tata Group low cost carrier (LCC) to become a force to reckon with. He has previously held senior leadership positions, including in the strategy domain, at Air India and Oman Air.This is the first big hire by IndiGo founder Rahul Bhatia who has recently taken over as the airline’s interim CEO and clearly signals the intention to aggressively scout for the best available talent in India and abroad.Rahul Bhatia said: “Aloke brings an exceptional blend of strategic vision and operational depth. His comprehensive understanding of the aviation ecosystem will be invaluable as we build a more agile, resilient and future-ready organisation, and accelerate our next phase of growth. For now, Aloke will report to me. Once the next CEO assumes office, he will transition to reporting to the new chief executive.”Aloke Singh said: “I am delighted to join IndiGo at such a pivotal moment for the airline and for Indian aviation broadly. Having redefined India’s domestic and short-haul international aviation landscape, IndiGo is taking its ambitions global. I look forward to working with colleagues across the organisation to sharpen our strategic direction, double down on operational excellence and deepen and broaden our markets.”As IndiGo CSO, Singh will lead the LCC’s “long-term strategic planning function and drive enterprise-wide transformation initiatives focused on accelerating growth, enhancing operational efficiency and strengthening competitive positioning in a rapidly evolving global aviation landscape,” the airline said in a statement. He will partner closely with the leadership team on cross-functional priorities designed to improve agility, elevate customer experience and deliver sustainable shareholder value.Singh has over three decades of aviation industry experience spanning strategy, planning, operations and commercial functions with a track record of leading complex operational and cultural transformation, driving rapid growth and managing large-scale expansion programmes.