Naresh Goyal: The Man Who "Changed the Way We Fly"
Jet Airways
Naresh Goyal (58), the visionary founder Chairman of Jet Airways, India’s premier airline, has over 37 years of experience in the Civil Aviation industry. After graduating in Commerce in 1967, Naresh Goyal joined the travel business with the GSA for Lebanese International Airlines. From 1967 to 1974 he underwent extensive training in all facets of the travel business through his association with several foreign airlines. He also extensively travelled overseas on business during this period.
With the experience, expertise and technical know-how thereby acquired, in May 1974, Naresh Goyal founded Jetair (Private) Limited with the objective of providing Sales and Marketing representation to foreign airlines in India. He was involved in developing studies of traffic patterns, route structures, operational economics and flight scheduling, all of which has made him an authority in the world of aviation and travel.
In 1991, as part of the ongoing diversification programs of his business activities, Naresh Goyal took advantage of the opening of the Indian economy and the enunciation of the Open Skies Policy by the Government of India to set up Jet Airways for the operation of scheduled air services on domestic sectors in India. Jet Airways commenced commercial operations on May 05, 1993.
In 14 years, Jet Airways has emerged as India's largest private domestic airline and has been acclaimed by frequent travellers as the most preferred carrier offering the highest quality of comfort, courtesy, standards of ground and inflight services and reliability of operations.
Goyal in his capacity as Chairman, Jet Airways, has won the 'Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Services' from Ernst & Young and also 'Distinguished Alumni Award-2000 for meritorious and distinguished performance as an Entrepreneur' and also the 'most respected company in travel and hospitality sector'. Other awards conferred on Goyal include the 'Outstanding Asian-Indian' award for leadership and contribution to the global community given by the Indian American Centre for Political Awareness, 'Aerospace Laurels' for outstanding contribution in the field of Commercial Air Transport twice, in April 2000 and February 2004.
Naresh Goyal served on the Board of Governors of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), from 2004-2006. This is the first time that the Chairman of a private airline of India was elected to IATA’s prestigious Board of Governors. He is the recipient of several national and international awards.
In July, 2005, Business Week selected Naresh Goyal as one of the five leaders from India in their Asia Edition cover story "Stars of Asia - 25 Leaders at The Forefront of Change".
Chairman, Naresh Goyal received the first BML Munjal Award for Excellence in Learning & Development in the Private Sector category from the Indian Minister for Civil Aviation, Praful Patel along with a citation at a special function at Hotel Maurya Sheraton, New Delhi on January 6, 2006.
The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh presented the first NDTV Profit Business Award 2006 to Jet Airways, which was received by the Chairman Naresh Goyal at a glittering function at Taj Palace Hotel on July 28, 2006. The award, in the aviation category, is to salute the men and women who fuel India's journey to the forefront of the World Economy. For more information on Jet Airways, visit www.jetairways.com.
- Ajay Ghosh
