His appointment is part of the Indian government's move to restructure the national carrier run by the National Aviation Company of India (NACIL).
Yusuffali joins the Air India board on the back of significant experience in the Indian aviation industry. Yusuffali earlier served as the special invitee to the board of directors of Air India and Indian Airlines in 1997-98. He is the director of Cochin International Airport Ltd., the first airport to be set up with private sector help in India.
He is the managing director of Emke Group that runs Lulu hypermarkets and shopping malls across Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia. His group employs more than 22,000 Indians in the Gulf states.
Yusuffali is also a member of many state and central government bodies including the prime minister's Global Advisory Council, India Development Fund, and Overseas Indian Facilitation Center.
Started in 1934, Air India is one of the oldest airlines in the world connecting more than 90 destinations in 22 countries across the world.
