‍RIGA — airBaltic’s (BT) Supervisory Board has appointed Erno Hildén as the airline's new Chief Executive Officer.

“After a thorough and professional selection process, led by a dedicated nomination committee and an external independent recruitment partner, including the evaluation of several highly qualified candidates, we are pleased to appoint Erno Hildén as the next CEO of airBaltic. His strong background in aviation and finance will add important expertise as the company continues to develop its business and prepares for the next phase of growth. The Supervisory Board looks forward to working closely with him and the Executive Board in the period ahead,” said Andrejs Martinovs, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of airBaltic.

The new CEO will assume the role on December 1, 2025. Until December, Interim CEO and Executive Board member Pauls Cālītis will lead airBaltic and afterwards return to the role of Chief Operations Officer (COO) and Executive Board member.

Erno Hildén Aviation Career

Erno Hildén, born in Finland, brings 25 years of experience in aviation and finance. Until June 2025, Mr. Erno was an Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and a key member of the leadership team in Scandinavian Airlines (SK) during the company's transformation and capital raise.

Erno Hildén has held senior roles - CFO, COO, and a member of the Executive Board - in major global airlines such as Finnair and Saudi Arabian Airlines Group.

“I appreciate the trust placed in me by the Supervisory Board. It is a privilege to take on this responsibility at airBaltic. My focus will be on ensuring continuity, supporting the Executive Board, and working together with the team to maintain operational stability and contribute to the company’s long-term objectives. I also look forward to applying my international aviation and financial experience to support the company’s next stage of development,” said Erno Hildén.