Erno Hildén Takes Over as airBaltic CEO: Leadership Change Complete
Latvian airline airBaltic has officially welcomed Erno Hildén as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective December 1, 2025, marking a significant leadership transition for the Baltic carrier. Hildén, a Finnish aviation executive, brings more than 25 years of international experience in aviation operations and finance to the role, positioning the airline for continued strategic development.
Hildén’s most recent position was Executive Vice President and Group Chief Financial Officer at SAS Scandinavian Airlines, where he served until June 2025. During his tenure at the Scandinavian carrier, he played a instrumental role in the airline’s transformation initiatives and capital-raising efforts, demonstrating expertise in navigating complex aviation industry challenges.
Prior to SAS, Hildén held senior leadership positions at both Saudi Arabian Airlines Group and Finnair, where he served as Group CFO, Chief Operating Officer, and Executive Board member. This extensive background across multiple major carriers positions him uniquely to address airBaltic’s operational and strategic priorities.
Upon assuming his new role, Hildén stated: “I am honored to join the airBaltic team. Together with the Executive Board and our teams, I will focus on ensuring continuity, strengthening day-to-day operations, and supporting the airline’s strategic development and long-term sustainability.”
The leadership change concludes a transitional period that began in April 2025 when long-time CEO Martin Gauss was dismissed following a loss of confidence from airBaltic’s majority shareholder, the Latvian government. Following Gauss’s departure, Pauls Cālītis assumed the interim CEO role and successfully managed operations for seven months. Cālītis now returns to his position as Chief Operating Officer and Executive Board member, providing operational continuity during the transition.
Industry analysts view Hildén’s appointment as a strategic move to stabilize the carrier and position it for sustainable growth. His experience with SAS during a critical transformation period, combined with his previous roles at major international carriers, suggests airBaltic is prioritizing operational excellence and financial discipline. The appointment was officially announced in August 2025, allowing adequate transition planning before his December start date.
For airBaltic, this leadership structure—combining Hildén’s CEO-level strategic vision with Cālītis’s deep operational knowledge as COO—represents a balanced approach to addressing both immediate operational challenges and longer-term competitive positioning in the dynamic European aviation market.
Source ID: SRCE-2025-1764590446415-1031