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Saloni Kochhar elevated to managing director at Goldman Sachs
BENGALURU: Goldman Sachs has promoted Saloni Kochhar to managing director, marking a significant milestone in a nearly two-decade career spanning global banking and financial technology roles. The appointment comes as the Wall Street firm continues to strengthen its technology and digitisation leadership in India.
Based in Bengaluru, Kochhar leads digitisation and workflow technology for Goldman Sachs in India. Her elevation follows a three-year stint as vice-president, during which she oversaw large-scale technology programmes focused on automation, efficiency and platform modernisation.
Kochhar brings more than 18 years of experience across banking and financial services technology. Before returning to Goldman Sachs in 2013, she served as executive director at JPMorgan Chase & Co between 2019 and 2022. Her earlier tenure at Goldman Sachs included roles ranging from analyst developer and senior analyst to vice-president and senior engineer.
Over the years, she has held positions as tech lead, architect and engineering manager, working across Java, J2EE, Spring, SQL and MongoDB stacks, while also steering transformation programmes in unfamiliar technologies. Colleagues describe her as a leader comfortable navigating complexity, scale and constant change.
In a statement, Kochhar credited mentors, colleagues and teams for shaping her journey, and said she looked forward to delivering for clients while contributing to the firm’s long-term ambitions.
The promotion underscores Goldman Sachs’ continued bet on India as a critical hub for technology-led innovation. For Kochhar, it is both recognition and runway — a bigger mandate, a broader canvas, and a signal that the firm wants builders, not just bankers, shaping its future.
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IndiGo names William Walsh CEO
Former IATA chief to take charge in August after Elbers exit, Bhatia steers interim
India’s biggest airline has moved fast and gone global. InterGlobe Aviation, which operates IndiGo, has tapped aviation heavyweight William Walsh as chief executive officer, subject to regulatory approvals, marking a sharp pivot as the carrier eyes its next burst of expansion.
Walsh, currently director general at the International Air Transport Association, will step down on July 31, 2026, and is expected to take charge by August 3. The appointment comes barely three weeks after Pieter Elbers exited the corner office, with Rahul Bhatia holding the fort in the interim.
The choice signals intent. Walsh brings decades of cockpit-to-boardroom experience, having led British Airways and later International Airlines Group, the parent of Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling. His tenure across carriers has been defined by hard resets, restructurings and cross-border consolidation—skills IndiGo may need as competition intensifies and scale becomes decisive.
Vikram Singh Mehta, chairman and non-executive independent director of IndiGo, said Walsh’s experience in managing large-scale airline operations and navigating complex market dynamics makes him well-suited to lead IndiGo in an increasingly competitive global aviation environment, adding that the appointment marks a new chapter as the airline scales in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.
Rahul Bhatia said Walsh’s global perspective, operational expertise and customer-focused approach would be critical as IndiGo enters its next phase of expansion.
Walsh, widely regarded as one of the industry’s most influential figures, will oversee overall management and strategic direction, with a mandate spanning operational performance, network expansion, commercial strategy and customer experience. He is expected to work closely with the board and leadership team to sharpen IndiGo’s growth trajectory.
Walsh said IndiGo has a strong foundation and is well-positioned to capitalise on the evolving aviation landscape, adding that he looks forward to fostering a culture of excellence, innovation and sustainable value creation across the organisation.
A new captain, a bigger runway—and a market that rewards scale. IndiGo is lining up for its next take-off.
