airBaltic Appoints Erno Hildén as New CEO, Cālītis Returns to COO Role
Latvian airline airBaltic has appointed Erno Hildén as its new CEO. He will take over from Pauls Cālītis, who has served as the interim CEO for the past five months.
In a press release dated August 19, 2025, airBaltic announced that Hildén’s official start date as CEO will be December 1, 2025.
“It is a privilege to take on this responsibility at airBaltic,” said Hildén following the announcement. He emphasized his commitment to ensuring continuity, supporting the Executive Board, and collaborating with the team to maintain operational stability and contribute to the airline’s long-term goals.
Hildén, a Finnish national, brings over 25 years of extensive experience in both aviation and finance. Until June 2025, he held the position of Executive Vice President and Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at SAS Scandinavian Airlines.
Previously, Hildén held significant roles within the Saudi Arabian Airlines Group and Finnair, where he served as Group CFO, Chief Operating Officer (COO), and was part of the Executive Board.
“His robust expertise in aviation and finance will be pivotal as we continue to evolve our business and prepare for the next growth phase,” stated Andrejs Martinovs, Chairman of airBaltic’s Supervisory Board. “We look forward to working closely with him and the Executive Board in the future.”
Until Hildén’s start in December, airBaltic will continue to be led by Interim CEO Cālītis. Following the transition, Cālītis will return to his role as COO while remaining an active member of the Executive Board.
In April 2025, Martin Gauss was removed from his long-standing position as CEO of airBaltic after losing the confidence of the airline’s majority stakeholder, the Latvian government. Subsequently, COO Pauls Cālītis stepped in as the interim leader.
What are your thoughts on this leadership change at airBaltic?
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