Verified
A Verified profile indicates that Ethiopian Profiles has confirmed:
- •Professional identity
- •Career history
- •Public contributions
- •Professional credibility
Girma Wake
Ethiopian Aviation Legacy Leader
Legacy - Institutional Builder | Aviation Executive
This is a legacy profile archive. Booking is not available.
Quick Insights
• More than 40 years in global aviation leadership
• Executive leadership experience across multiple international airlines
• CEO tenure during Ethiopian Airlines’ profitability recovery phase
• Leadership role in preparing the airline’s long-term growth strategy
Girma Wake was born in Ethiopia and developed an early interest in business and international commerce. His career path reflects a strong global orientation, with professional experience gained across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
Selected Career Milestones
• Began career with Ethiopian Airlines in the 1960s
• Held commercial and management positions within Ethiopian Airlines
• Served in senior executive roles in international airlines, including Gulf Air
• CEO, Ethiopian Airlines (2004–2011)
• Led airline restructuring and modernization efforts
• Chairman of the Board, Ethiopian Airlines (post-CEO governance role)
In February 2026, Girma Wake was appointed Consultant, Advisor, and Acting Chief Executive Officer of Uganda Airlines, Uganda’s national carrier, by presidential directive. He was tasked with overseeing the leadership transition, addressing operational and governance weaknesses, and serving in the acting CEO role until a substantive chief executive is appointed (expected by July 2026).
Professional Affiliations , Membership & Additional Contributions
• Board leadership roles in aviation institutions
• Advisory involvement in aviation development initiatives
• Participation in African aviation leadership discussions
Professional Overview
Girma Wake is an Ethiopian aviation executive recognized for his leadership in airline restructuring and global aviation management. He is best known for serving as chief executive officer of Ethiopian Airlines from 2004 to 2011, a period during which he strengthened the airline’s commercial performance and positioned it for its later global expansion.
With a career spanning multiple international airlines, Girma Wake is regarded as one of the few African aviation executives to have successfully led major airline transformations across different continents. His leadership is widely credited with stabilizing Ethiopian Airlines financially, improving operational efficiency, and laying the institutional foundation that enabled its subsequent rapid growth.
Education
Bachelor’s Degree – Business Administration
Selected Publications, Awards & Legacy Achievements
• Recipient of aviation industry leadership recognition for contributions to airline management
• Recognized within African aviation circles for leadership excellence
• Considered among the key figures in modern Ethiopian Airlines institutional history
Professional Journey & Contribution
Girma Wake’s career reflects both operational leadership and corporate restructuring expertise. His leadership approach emphasized commercial discipline, management reform, and international competitiveness.
His tenure at Ethiopian Airlines is often seen as the transition period between earlier institutional stability and the later aggressive global expansion phase. His contribution therefore sits in the category of institutional strengthening and strategic preparation, rather than pure expansion leadership.
Platform Acknowledgment
Girma Wake is regarded as one of the key architects of Ethiopian Airlines’ modern institutional strength, having provided the leadership that stabilized and prepared the airline for its later emergence as Africa’s leading aviation group.