FlightGlobal
• Kerry Reals
Air France-KLM has appointed group chief operating officer Oltion Carkaxhija as CEO of low-cost subsidiary Transavia, effective Sept. 4. Carkaxhija will focus on reinforcing Transavia’s position in the intra-European market as part of a broader management reshuffle at the group.
Leadership
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Air France-KLM has appointed group chief operating officer Oltion Carkaxhija as CEO of low-cost subsidiary Transavia, effective Sept. 4. Carkaxhija will focus on reinforcing Transavia’s position in the intra-European market as part of a broader management reshuffle at the group.
Gen. Douglas Schiess assumed command of the U.S. Space Force on Sept. 3 at Joint Base Andrews, succeeding Gen. B. Chance Saltzman. Promoted to four-star general, Schiess takes over as the service prepares for expansion in funding, personnel and missions amid competition with China.
Pivotal has named Mike Ross interim chief executive after Ken Karklin left the light eVTOL company, ending a four-year tenure. The leadership change comes as Pivotal continues developing its electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft, with the appointment signaling a transition in the company’s executive direction.
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Kenya Airways acting CEO George Kamal has resigned, citing personal reasons, less than nine months after taking the top role. Habil Waswani has been appointed interim CEO as the airline manages another leadership transition amid ongoing losses and repeated turnover at the top.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll’s resignation leaves all three U.S. military service branches without their leaders under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The departures mark an unusually broad turnover at the top of the armed forces as the Pentagon continues its purge of senior military ranks.
Daher named Michel Denis as its chief executive, while Flexjet appointed Steve Varsano president. Former NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt was selected as the next recipient of the Wright Trophy, recognizing three notable leadership and industry developments in September 2026.
Brian Rohloff has become president and CEO of Textron Aviation, succeeding longtime chief Ron Draper. Rohloff has spent 29 years at the Wichita-based aircraft manufacturer and most recently led customer support, bringing deep operational and customer-facing experience to the company’s top role.
Michael Graham, a former F/A-18 pilot and Textron Aviation safety chief who has served on the National Transportation Safety Board since 2020, is retiring from the agency. His departure will create a leadership transition at the federal body responsible for investigating aviation accidents and issuing safety recommendations.
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Hype's Leadership section provides a curated selection of news and in-depth analysis on the trailblazers and decision-makers in the aviation, defense, and space industries. This collection includes detailed coverage of leadership changes, executive appointments, and the strategic directions set by the industry's top figures, offering a clear view of the personalities driving aerospace innovation and corporate dynamics.
