Jakarta. Shareholders of national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia appointed Wamildan Tsani Panjaitan as the new President Director on Friday, replacing Irfan Setiaputra.

Wamildan, 43, has been the acting CEO of budget airline Lion Air, Indonesia’s largest carrier by fleet size and market share, since 2022. He previously spent nine years as an executive at Batik Air, a subsidiary of Lion Air.

Additionally, Wamildan is a certified pilot with training from esteemed international aviation academies. Before his career in commercial aviation, he served as an Air Force pilot, flying Boeing 737-200 surveillance aircraft from the Makassar Air Force Base.

He said President Prabowo Subianto has entrusted him with the mission of transforming Garuda into a world-class airline.

“President Prabowo has a keen interest in Garuda Indonesia and has placed his trust in us to restore Garuda as a symbol of national pride. He emphasized that Garuda should have an impact not only on the Indonesian people but also on the global stage,” Wamildan said.

“I will fulfill this mandate by conducting a comprehensive review of Garuda’s financial and operational health, accelerating performance, expanding our network, and enhancing service quality. These measures will strengthen Garuda’s position as the national flag carrier and make it a thriving company that Indonesia can be proud of.”

His predecessor, Irfan Setiaputra, had already anticipated the leadership change. Following the shareholders’ meeting in Jakarta, he expressed pride in his efforts to transform Garuda’s business model and rescue the company from near bankruptcy.

“It has been an honor to lead Garuda Indonesia’s business transformation and guide it through the most challenging period in its history. I hope the transformation will continue and deliver optimal results,” Irfan said.

Garuda’s new management team after the shareholders' meeting:

Commissioners:

• Fadjar Prasetyo (President Commissioner)
• Chairal Tanjung
• Timur Sukirno
• Glenny Kairupan

Directors:

• Wamildan Tsani Panjaitan (President Director)
• Prasetio (Director of Finance and Risk Management)
• Ade R. Susardi (Director of Commercial)
• Tumpal Manumpak Hutapea (Director of Operations)
• Rahmat Hanafi (Director of Engineering)
• Enny Kristiani (Director of Human Resources and Corporate Services)